In a remarkable shift in digital traffic patterns, artificial intelligence (AI)-driven referrals to top websites rose by 357% year-on-year (YoY) in June 2025, according to new data from web analytics firm Similarweb. The report indicates that over 1.13 billion visits to major websites originated from AI tools during the month, signaling a rapid transformation in how users discover online content.
This surge reflects the increasing integration of generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity AI, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot into users’ daily information-gathering routines. Although traditional search engines such as Google continue to dominate, AI-powered platforms are emerging as powerful digital gatekeepers, influencing traffic across sectors including news, finance, e-commerce, and education.
News and Finance Sites Witness Strongest AI-Driven Growth
The most significant growth was observed among news and financial information platforms. News websites alone saw a 700% YoY increase in AI referral traffic, while financial sites recorded a 500% spike. This trend suggests a shift in user behavior, where audiences are increasingly relying on conversational AI tools to get curated information and summaries, instead of typing queries into search engines.
Perplexity AI has been a notable contributor in this space, now accounting for a substantial volume of referrals to media outlets. Meanwhile, tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot are also being used as browsing companions, subtly influencing which sources users click on.
Google Search Still Leads, but AI Is Gaining Ground
Despite the meteoric rise of AI referrals, Google Search remains the primary source of web traffic. Google accounted for 18 billion monthly visits to top websites, compared to AI’s 1.13 billion—a figure that still places AI-generated referrals at just 6% of Google’s total.
However, the trajectory suggests that AI is increasingly impacting the early stages of the online discovery journey. With AI models being integrated into operating systems, productivity suites, and web browsers, their role as referral engines is expected to deepen in the coming months.
User Experience Driving AI Adoption
Part of this shift is being driven by improvements in user experience. Instead of sifting through pages of search results, users are turning to AI assistants for direct, summarized responses, complete with clickable sources. This behavior is gradually reshaping referral pathways, especially for information-heavy domains such as education and news.
Educational websites, in particular, saw a 303% YoY increase in AI-generated traffic. This uptick aligns with growing use of tools like ChatGPT and Claude for academic help and research.
Global Impact: United States and India Lead AI Referral Uptake
The United States and India remain two of the largest consumer markets for AI-assisted browsing. A growing number of users in these regions are interacting with generative AI tools for day-to-day queries, news updates, and product research. This shift is also being fueled by better language support and regional integrations from AI developers.
Outlook: AI Referrals Poised for Further Growth
While AI referrals currently trail far behind traditional search engines, the gap is narrowing as consumer trust and usability improve. Tech firms are also working to enhance attribution mechanisms and ensure content creators benefit from this new traffic stream.
The rapid adoption of AI tools suggests that marketers, publishers, and SEOs may need to rethink their content visibility strategies. As AI models increasingly influence what users read and engage with, optimizing for AI discoverability could become as crucial as optimizing for search engines.