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Overview

Google’s AI Mode began rolling out to all US users in June, and is expected to continue expanding to more regions in the coming months. 

As this new experience becomes the default (no opting-in required) for more searchers, it’s set to significantly reshape user behavior across the globe. 

Amidst this shift, one question continues to surface for SEOs: If I rank well in organic search, will I also appear in AI Mode answers?

In other words, can traditional SEO tactics alone still drive visibility in an AI-response experience?

To find out, we analyzed the overlap between AI Mode citations and traditional organic listings for the same set of queries, offering a clearer picture of where and how to focus your efforts in the evolving SERP landscape.

 

Key Takeaways

  • AI Mode and organic rankings only partially overlap: 68% of queries have at least one AI Mode citation from the top 20 organic results.
  • Most AI Mode sources come from outside top organic results: Only 20% of total AI Mode citations are from the top 20 web rankings.
  • Higher rankings improve, but don’t guarantee, AI Mode inclusion: Rank position one appears in AI Mode 27% of the time, Rank 2 at 21%, and Rank 3 at 17%.
  • All top three organic results appear together in AI Mode responses only 3% of the time, revealing that AI Mode uses different signals than traditional search.

Curious about the overlap between AI Overviews and organic rankings? We analyzed that too! Explore our previous research study to see the results. 

 

68% Of AI Mode Results Cite Organic Web Rankings At Least Once

Out of 1,000 queries analyzed, 68% had at least one citation from the top 20 organic results in AI Mode. When looking only at the top 10 rankings, overlap occurred for 62% of queries.

Only 20% of Total AI Mode Citations Are From Top 20 Web Results​

Of the 10,853 AI Mode citations analyzed, just 20% were from the top 20 organic rankings. The vast majority came from sources outside the top 20 search results, highlighting that strong organic rankings alone won’t guarantee AI Mode visibility. 

This underscores the need for SEOs to adapt strategies beyond traditional ranking signals to compete in AI-powered search.

Recommended Reading: Google’s AI Mode Entered the Chat—Now What for SEO?

 

On Average, AI Mode Cites 3 of the Top 20 Organic Results Per Topic

Across the 68% of topics where overlap occurred, AI Mode cited an average of three URLs from the top 20 organic rankings for each query. 

This confirms that AI Mode compiles insights from multiple sources, rather than just referencing one top-ranking page.

 

Higher Organic Rankings Boost Chances of AI Mode Inclusion

Ranking higher in organic search results directly correlates with an increased probability of inclusion in AI mode results:

  • Rank position one is cited in AI Mode results 27% of the time​
  • Position two is cited 21%​ of the time
  • Position three is cited 17%​ of the time

While top positions improve the odds, the relatively low percentages reinforce the notion that even the highest rankings don’t guarantee inclusion in AI Mode results.

 

Positions 1-3 Are Cited in AI Mode Only 3% Of the Time

As previously stated, rank position one in organic web results is cited in AI Mode results 27% of the time​. 

When analyzing the inclusion of both the top one and two rankings, citation drops to 11%. And all top three organic results appear together in AI Mode for just 3% of queries. 

This gap underscores the difference between traditional SEO ranking factors and the signals driving AI Mode citations.

 

Research Methodology

We analyzed 1,000 transactional U.S. queries on desktop in July 2025. For each query, we extracted both the top 20 traditional web results as well as the AI Mode response. 

To determine overlap, we identified cases where at least one URL from the web results also appeared among the sources cited in AI Mode. This allowed us to assess the degree of overlap between visibility in AI Mode and organic rankings.

 

Conclusion

The results of our analysis reveal that while higher organic rankings increase the likelihood of AI Mode citations, overlap is far from guaranteed.

This demonstrates that AI Mode draws heavily from sources beyond the top 20 organic web results, making it critical to adapt traditional SEO strategies specifically for AI-driven visibility.

With on-demand AI Mode tracking in Clarity ArcAI, you can see in real time when your brand is mentioned, cited, or left out of AI Mode responses. 

Know exactly where you stand for priority topics and what steps to take to improve – schedule a demo today.

 

Schedule a Demo

 

 

Mitul GandhiAbout the Author: Mitul Gandhi

 As a longtime data-driven serial entrepreneur, information architect and SEO veteran, Mitul has developed a blend of vast technical expertise and intense marketing insight. His variety of experience, gained in positions in in-house SEO, search marketing, and software development, affords him the ability to efficiently assess how to use software tools to meet challenges and drive ROI. As the Co-Founder and Chief Architect of seoClarity, Mitul currently oversees day-to-day operations, and provides strategic direction to all departments. His well of knowledge includes 10+ years of consulting experience with Fortune 500 and top Internet retailers concerning online search marketing. He has several patents pending for analyzing cause and effect in SEO. Mitul holds an MBA in direct marketing from Rochester Institute of Technology. Additionally, he has spoken at conferences in the United States and the U.K., including SES, SMX and Pubcon. He has also been quoted in MSN Money, USA Today, Time Online, Search Engine Watch, Search Engine Land and Web Pro News. Connect with him on Twitter or LinkedIn.

 

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