OpenAI reports ChatGPT search volume reaches 20 percent of Google levels
OpenAI’s consumer product lead confirms that search queries on ChatGPT have grown to roughly one-fifth of Google's search traffic volume.
OpenAI is making significant inroads into the search market, with internal data indicating that ChatGPT now handles search query volumes equivalent to approximately 20 percent of those processed by Google. Adam Fry, head of consumer products at OpenAI, confirmed these figures, signaling a shift in how users approach information retrieval.
The rise of AI-driven search reflects broader consumer trends observed by the Pew Research Center earlier this year. Data shows that 42 percent of U.S. adults utilize AI tools specifically for searching information, identifying it as the most common use case for the technology, ahead of workplace tasks, entertainment, and news consumption.
While Google remains the dominant force in global search, the competition from AI chatbots is intensifying. Among U.S. adults, ChatGPT maintains a significant lead in adoption, with 44 percent of respondents reporting usage, compared to 24 percent for Google’s Gemini.
Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai has previously addressed the competition between traditional search and generative AI, characterizing the relationship as non-zero-sum. Comparing the disruption to the rise of TikTok alongside YouTube, Pichai maintains that the search market is large enough to accommodate concurrent growth in both legacy search and AI-powered interfaces.