Since July 23, 2026, Google AI Overview has been gradually rolling out in France. Now, for many searches, Google provides an AI-generated summary directly above the standard search results.
This trend raises a legitimate question for companies, executives, and public figures: Is having a presence on Wikipedia still just as important if users are clicking on articles less often?
Thanks to our experience working with clients in the United States (20% of our Wikiconsult client base) and in several countries where AI Overview has been available for several years, we have already begun to see the initial results.
What is Google AI Overview?
Google AI Overview is a new feature in Google Search that displays an answer generated by artificial intelligence (Gemini) right at the top of the results.
Instead of simply displaying a list of links, a knowledge graph, images, an FAQ, videos, or Google My Business listings, Google synthesizes information from multiple websites and immediately answers the user’s question.
Users can get a complete answer without visiting any websites.
Does Google AI Overview use Wikipedia?
A study by Profound analyzing 30 million citations between August 2024 and June 2025 shows, among other things, that Google AI Overview primarily favors Reddit, YouTube, Facebook, and Quora.
According to Ahrefs data published in July 2026, the most frequently cited websites in Google AI Overview are:
| Website | Percentage of citations |
|---|---|
| YouTube | 21.1% |
| 18.5% | |
| 10.7% | |
| 7.1% | |
| 5.8% | |
| Quora | 5.0% |
| Wikipedia | 4.8% |
At first glance, that might seem low.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that these statistics cover all Google searches.
However, Wikipedia is primarily used for encyclopedic searches:
- people;
- companies;
- organizations;
- places;
- historical events;
- sciences;
- culture.
For these queries, its weight remains well above average.
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Is Google AI Overview causing Wikipedia to lose traffic?
Yes, the AI-generated summaries produced by Google are causing Wikipedia to lose traffic.
The initial scientific studies and the first available data all point in the same direction.
A university study published in 2026 estimates that the rollout of Google AI Overview has led to an average decline of about 15% in traffic to Wikipedia (source).
However, the effects vary from person to person:
- Cultural items are the hardest hit;
- Scientific and technical content tends to be more enduring.
Another study conducted by Pew Research among 900 adults in the United States in 2025 also shows that internet users are much less likely to click on links when an AI summary is displayed (source).
Even Wikipedia acknowledges this trend.
The Wikimedia Foundation reports a decline in traffic from Google and notes that AI-powered search engines are making extensive use of its content while sending fewer visitors (source).
Finally, a Tinuiti survey of more than 1,000 Americans shows that:
- 32% say they use Wikipedia less often since the introduction of AI tools;
- compared with just 18% who say they use it more.
Does a drop in traffic mean that Wikipedia is less important?
For years, the value of a Wikipedia page stemmed in large part from its massive traffic.
In the future, its value will stem more from its role as a source of information used by artificial intelligence systems.
In practice, when a user asks:
“Who is this company?”
or
“Who is this leader?”
Google can construct its response by drawing, directly or indirectly, on information found on Wikipedia.
The user may never visit the article.
But he will still read a response that largely incorporates that information.
In other words, the focus is shifting: it’s no longer just about driving traffic, but about ensuring that the information fed into AI systems is accurate, complete, and neutral.
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Written by Albin Guillaud
A Wikipedia contributor since 2014, with Wikiconsult I support businesses, institutions, public figures, and agencies looking to create, update, or monitor their presence on Wikipedia.