Chegg vs Google: The Impact of AI on Search Traffic

For the past year, I’ve been telling brands and marketers that click-through rates (CTR) are going to decline as more customers turn to AI for search—whether that’s Google’s AI Overviews or direct searches on ChatGPT and Perplexity. Now, we’re seeing one of the biggest consequences of that shift: Chegg is suing Google, claiming AI-generated search summaries have hurt its traffic and revenue.

The Lawsuit: Chegg vs. Google

Edtech company Chegg has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, accusing Google of:

• Unfair competition
• Monopoly maintenance
• Unjust enrichment

According to Chegg, Google forces companies to supply their content to be included in search but then turns around and reaps the benefits of that third-party content by generating AI-powered summaries that answer user questions without sending traffic to the original source.

Chegg is seeking compensatory damages and an injunction to stop what it calls Google’s “unlawful and unfair” conduct.

Google’s AI Overviews: A Direct Threat to Publishers

Chegg isn’t the only one feeling the impact. Consider this, multiple news outlets and publishers have reported declining traffic since Google started rolling out AI-generated summaries in search.

And this is exactly what I’ve been warning about. Google’s AI Overviews pull information directly from websites and package it into AI-generated answers. This eliminates the need for users to click through to the original source.

I honestly believe we will see a diminished value in the blue links. In fact, they may disappear altogether if this trend continues.

For brands, this means:

• Fewer clicks to their website
• Lower ad revenue for media and publishers
• Less engagement with owned content

And, this isn’t just about Chegg—it’s about every brand that relies on search traffic.

The Bigger Picture: The Death of Traditional SEO?

For years, SEO has been built around ranking well in Google Search to drive traffic and conversions. Now, with the rise of AI-generated search results, Google is becoming both the search engine and the destination.

Now, even OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has acknowledged this shift, recently admitting that AI tools like ChatGPT have already eroded Google’s search dominance—and that trend is only accelerating.

In other words, if consumers can get their answers directly from AI without clicking on websites, then what’s the future of organic search traffic?

What Brands Should Do Next

If your business relies on SEO, it’s time to rethink your strategy. The old playbook of ranking for keywords and optimizing for blue links is becoming obsolete.

Instead, brands need to:

Optimize for AISO (AI Search Optimization): Focus on conversational content, FAQs, and structured data to increase the chances of being cited by AI tools.

Shift to AI-resistant platforms: Double down on video, podcasts, email lists, and community engagement—channels where AI can’t fully replace direct brand interaction.

Build direct relationships with audiences: Own your audience by growing newsletters, social media followings, and private communities rather than relying on search. In fact, newsletters are making a comeback as brands and their customers seek direct engagement.

Experiment with AI-powered discovery: AI-generated search isn’t going away, so find ways to integrate AI-driven experiences into your own content strategy.

This Is Just the Beginning

Keep in mind that Chegg’s lawsuit is one of the first major legal battles over AI search—but it won’t be the last. Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT search, and other AI-driven platforms are fundamentally reshaping how people find information online.

Now, I’ve been saying for a while now that brands will see declining click-through rates due to AI-powered search. Now we’re watching it unfold in real-time.

Still, the question isn’t whether AI will disrupt search—it already has. The real question is: How will brands adapt?

What do you think? Are you seeing drops in organic traffic?

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Read more: Chegg vs Google: The Impact of AI on Search Traffic