The Click Collapse: How AI Retrieval Layers Replaced Search Discovery

EA-CORP-01 — Market analysis documenting the replacement of search-engine discovery by AI retrieval layers. Data: 58% CTR decline (Ahrefs), 69% zero-click (Similarweb), 1% AI Overview click-through (Pew), ~5 citations per overview, $2B annual revenue lost (IAB Tech Lab). Three structural diagnoses: R1 Commoditization, R2 Capital Erasure, R3 Semantic Sovereignty. Why SEO and GEO do not solve this.

Authors

Publication Details

Journal
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Published
2026-04-14
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19578096
Citations
16
Primary Topic
Information Retrieval and Search Behavior
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
1108.28
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article

The Click Collapse: How AI Retrieval Layers Replaced Search Discovery

Rex Fraction, Lee Sharks
16 citations
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Information Retrieval and Search Behavior
1108.28
article

The Click Collapse: How AI Retrieval Layers Replaced Search Discovery

Rex Fraction, Lee Sharks
article en
16 citations

Abstract

EA-CORP-01 — Market analysis documenting the replacement of search-engine discovery by AI retrieval layers. Data: 58% CTR decline (Ahrefs), 69% zero-click (Similarweb), 1% AI Overview click-through (Pew), ~5 citations per overview, $2B annual revenue lost (IAB Tech Lab). Three structural diagnoses: R1 Commoditization, R2 Capital Erasure, R3 Semantic Sovereignty. Why SEO and GEO do not solve this.

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Decent work and economic growth
Openalex Percentile: Top 0%
Information Retrieval and Search Behavior
1108.28
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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