Is a zero-click internet coming? New survey data reveals unpreparedness

Fresh research from 500 marketers and consumers exposes the reality gap between AI adoption and enterprise readiness.

The future of the internet isn’t coming. It’s already here. And according to new survey data from Lucidworks, most digital leaders are caught flat-footed.

In September 2025, we surveyed 100 B2B and B2C marketing leaders alongside 400 regular online consumers to understand how businesses are preparing for an AI-first internet. The results paint a stark picture: while AI agents are rapidly becoming the primary interface between consumers and digital content, the vast majority of enterprises remain unprepared for what experts are calling the “zero-click internet.”

The numbers don’t Lie: Enterprise leaders are behind

The data reveals a troubling disconnect between AI’s rapid advancement and corporate readiness:

• Only 23% of digital leaders say their organization is prepared to optimize content for AI-driven discovery
• 67% admit their website’s AI experience still lags behind what users expect from tools like ChatGPT
• Despite the growing impact, 41% of digital leaders say they haven’t explored the concept of a zero-click internet deeply
• 58% strongly fear losing control over their brand voice in AI-powered answers

“It’s critical that we ensure our website increases in AI capabilities for both humans and machines (AI crawlers, AI direct via API and AI browsers),” said one survey respondent, a Director of Search at a global IT hardware leader.

What is the zero-click internet?

The zero-click internet represents a fundamental shift where AI agents handle most digital interactions without users needing to click through to websites. Instead of browsing, users ask AI assistants to research products, compare options, make purchases, and complete tasks autonomously.

This isn’t science fiction. The timeline is accelerating. For example:

• 2025: AI agents evolve from novelty to necessity
• 2026: AI-powered search gains meaningful market share from Google
• 2030: Zero-click behaviors go mainstream for common tasks
• 2035: Persistent AI agents become the norm for digital interactions

Consumer adoption outpaces enterprise preparation

While businesses scramble to understand the implications, consumers are already embracing AI-powered assistance:

• 50% of consumers found AI shopping assistants helpful when they tried them
• 43% cite finding better deals as the top advantage of AI shopping
• 29% would be comfortable with AI making purchases under $100 on their behalf

However, consumer concerns remain significant:

• 38% cite privacy and data use as their biggest worry
• 35% are not comfortable with AI making any purchases on their behalf
• Trust remains a significant hurdle for widespread zero-click adoption

The infrastructure reality: Search (RAG) isn’t disappearing

Contrary to predictions that traditional search will become obsolete, our research confirms that AI agents will continue relying on search infrastructure… they’ll just interface with it differently.

Technologies like Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) will remain essential, but the focus shifts from human-facing to agent-facing optimization. This means:

1. Traditional SEO becomes less relevant for direct user traffic
2. Structured, API-accessible data becomes critical for AI discoverability
3. On-site search must evolve to be vector-enabled and agent-friendly

The control paradox: Influence without ownership

Perhaps the most unsettling finding for marketers: you can influence but not control how AI represents your brand.

Unlike traditional marketing channels where brands control messaging and user experience, the zero-click internet puts AI assistants in the driver’s seat. Your carefully crafted brand experience gets filtered through an AI interface you don’t own.

The survey data shows this is marketers’ top concern, with brand voice control fears outranking traffic loss and revenue impact.

3 red flags your site isn’t ready

Our analysis identified common patterns among sites unprepared for AI discovery:

1. Product pages that answer nothing: Generic descriptions like “premium quality materials” instead of specific answers to customer questions
2. Content buried in PDFs or JavaScript: Critical information hidden where AI agents can’t access it
3. Keyword optimization over question optimization: Focusing on search terms instead of natural language queries

Your own search data is a goldmind

The most actionable insight from our research centers on internal data utilization. Companies sitting on goldmines of customer language through on-site search, support tickets, and chat logs, yet few are systematically mining this data for AI optimization.

Your internal search queries with low click-through rates represent content blind spots that AI agents could fill. These gaps become opportunities to create the structured, question-based content that generative engines prefer.

What’s next?

The zero-click internet represents the biggest shift in digital marketing since the rise of mobile. While regulatory concerns and trust issues may slow adoption, the trajectory is clear.

For digital leaders, the question isn’t whether this transformation will happen — it’s whether they’ll adapt in time to remain discoverable in an AI-mediated world.

The enterprises that start preparing now, structuring their content for agent consumption and optimizing for AI discovery, will maintain visibility in the zero-click future. Those that don’t risk becoming invisible to the next generation of digital consumers.

The complete research findings, along with detailed recommendations for preparing your organization for the zero-click internet, are available in Lucidworks’ new report: “Zero-Click Internet 2035: A Playbook for Digital Leaders.” 

Methodology: This research was conducted in September 2025 among 100 B2B and B2C marketing leaders and 400 regular online consumers across various industries and company sizes.