With the rise of AI tools such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and other AI-powered search assistants, a growing concern has emerged — are fewer people visiting websites because AI gives answers directly? And if so, is this affecting the number of new WordPress sites being launched?
Let’s explore the available data and separate perception from reality.
AI Search and the “Zero-Click” Effect
Recent industry studies indicate a clear shift in how people interact with search results. Many queries are now answered directly by AI-generated summaries (known as “AI Overviews” in Google).
According to Digiday (2025), search referral traffic to over 1,000 global domains fell from 12 billion visits in June 2024 to 11.2 billion in June 2025, marking a 6.7 % year-over-year decline in clicks to external websites.
Meanwhile, AI summaries now appear in about 20 % of U.S. desktop searches, giving users instant answers without clicking on any link. This “zero-click” pattern especially hurts media and news outlets, some of which report traffic losses up to 80 % for certain topics.
But Are Fewer WordPress Websites Being Created?
Despite these shifts in online behavior, there is no official data showing that the number of new WordPress websites has declined in the past 12 months.
In fact, WordPress continues to dominate the CMS market with around 43 % of all websites and over 563 million active installations. Reports from hosting providers such as Hostinger reveal that more than 10,000 WordPress sites are still launched daily.
This indicates that while traffic sources are evolving, the demand for building and owning websites remains strong.
What We Can—and Can’t—Conclude
- ✅ Search behavior is changing. AI summaries and conversational search reduce click-throughs for informational queries.
- ✅ Some publishers are losing traffic. Especially news and content-driven sites.
- ❌ No hard proof yet of fewer new websites. WordPress growth remains stable.
- ⚠️ Future implications are uncertain. If AI assistants increasingly replace organic search, website discoverability could decline over time.
What Data Would Prove the Claim
To confirm that AI tools are truly reducing WordPress site creation, we would need:
- Month-by-month WordPress installation data for the past two years.
- Hosting and domain registration stats from major providers.
- Referral traffic data comparing AI-enhanced search periods with traditional search periods.
- Surveys of new creators about whether AI search affects their motivation to launch websites.
Without this, the idea that “AI is killing websites” remains speculative — plausible, but unproven.
Final Thoughts
AI search is undeniably transforming how people find and consume information. However, website creation—especially through WordPress—remains vibrant.
While content creators should diversify traffic sources (e.g., social media, newsletters, and community platforms), there’s no need to panic yet.
The web is evolving, not disappearing.