# Cloudways survey: 76% of digital businesses say AI search already cut their traffic

Published: 2026-10-20T12:54:37.301Z · Source: Cloudways (https://www.cloudways.com/en/resources/reports/from-search-rankings-to-ai-recommendations/)
Source date: 2026-10-20
Flags: Cloudways study — vendor-published

Cloudways, the managed-hosting brand owned by DigitalOcean, published a report on October 20 drawn from a Censuswide survey of 1,000 digital and e-commerce decision-makers in the UK and US, fielded June 24–29. In it, 76% of respondents said AI-generated search experiences have already reduced their website traffic over the past 12 months, and 82% said AI-powered recommendations are changing how customers find brands, per Cloudways. Separately, 80% said technical website performance now matters more to visibility than content alone, and 77% said traditional SEO alone is no longer enough.

Why it matters: It's a methodologically stated vendor survey (Censuswide, N=1,000) showing businesses themselves now perceive AI search as already diverting real traffic, not just a future risk.

## What this answers

**Do businesses think AI search is reducing their website traffic?**

Yes, per a Cloudways survey of 1,000 UK and US digital and e-commerce decision-makers: 76% said AI-generated search experiences have already cut their website traffic over the past 12 months.

**Is traditional SEO still enough to stay visible online?**

No, according to the same survey — 77% of respondents said traditional SEO alone no longer guarantees visibility now that AI recommendations influence how customers find brands.


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