Zero-click behavior was already common with featured snippets and instant answers. Answer engines accelerate it: when ChatGPT or an AI Overview composes a complete reply, the user often has no reason to visit a source at all.
This reframes success. If clicks fall but your brand is named and recommended inside the answer, you are still winning the moment that matters. The GEO response is to optimize for inclusion and accurate representation in the answer itself, and to measure mentions and share of voice rather than clicks alone.