How Big is ChatGPT's Market Share of Search?
A deep dive into the evolving search landscape and ChatGPT's growing influence on how people discover information online.
Table of Contents
The Current State of Search: January 2024 Data
According to recent data from Statcounter, Google's global search market share fell below 90% for the first time since 2015, marking a significant shift in the search landscape. The numbers show Google at:
- 89.34% in October 2024
- 89.99% in November 2024
- 89.73% in December 2024
This trend is particularly notable in the U.S. market, where Google's search share peaked at 90.37% in November but fell to 87.39% in December 2024. For more analysis on Google's market position, read our detailed report on The Shifting Search Landscape: Google's Market Share Faces AI Challenge.
"As the old saying goes, one's a dot, two's a line, and three's a trend. Clearly, we're seeing a trend here with Google losing search market share... Google has been under attack for nearly two years over the growing unhelpfulness of its search results despite dominating thanks to its illegal monopoly status with a commanding and consistent 90-92+% share for nearly a decade."
- Danny Goodwin, Search Engine Land
Our January clickstream analysis reveals a fascinating picture of the search landscape:
- Google appeared in 92% of sessions
- ChatGPT featured in 17% of sessions
- 30% of ChatGPT sessions were followed by a Google search
- 20% of these had no prior Google search
Based on these numbers, we estimate that Google's effective search market share has likely decreased to approximately 91% (calculated as 92% - 17% × 30% × 20%).
"This is a very complex question to answer. But, if you're willing to handle some messy data processes, this is the closest I'm able to get to something reasonable. Visit data comparisons come from SimilarWeb. The number of 'searches' (or prompts, in the case of LLMs) comes from Datos."
- Rand Fishkin, SparkToro Research
It's worth noting that this analysis only includes mobile and web browser traffic, not in-app activity, which could overcount LLMs since they are more likely than social or search platforms to have mobile app activity. The data also doesn't count API calls to any of these services.
The Rise of AI Search: A Case Study
"The end of Google's search monopoly is closer than we think. ScrapingBee now gets more organic traffic from ChatGPT than from DuckDuckGo. Next month? It's on track to overtake Bing. If the exponential holds, by next year it could be rivaling Google."
- Pierre de Wulf, Co-Founder of ScrapingBee
This observation isn't isolated. Dozens of founders across various industries report similar trends, suggesting a broader shift in how people discover information online.
Understanding the Relationship Between Traditional and AI Search
One of the most interesting findings from our analysis is that ChatGPT and Google appear to be used in tandem rather than as perfect substitutes. This complementary relationship suggests users are leveraging both platforms for different aspects of their information needs.
Key Pattern: In 30% of cases where users start with ChatGPT, they follow up with a Google search. This suggests that while AI search is growing, it's creating new search behaviors rather than simply replacing traditional search.
Expert Views on the Search Evolution
"AI-powered search offers some unique features that distinguish it from Google. It excels at handling natural language queries, offering a more intuitive and conversational search experience. It is more direct and user-friendly, without users having to shift through multiple links. While Google Search lets humans decide and come to an opinion, AI tools tend to distil information from multiple sources and give an opinion."
- Binu Mathews, CEO at IDS Next
"Don't worry whether Google's business is threatened. They can take care of themselves. Instead, worry about your own business. That's what really matters. The fact is that once you've included organic, paid, local, and metasearch, Google accounts for 40% or more of most hotels' website traffic and revenue."
- Tim Peter, Founder & President, Tim Peter & Associates
"We are entering what I like to call the post-search era—an era of tectonic transformation that reminds me of the early 2000s. At that time, Google replaced Yahoo as the dominant force in search, shifting the paradigm from directory-based browsing to keyword-based search. Now, after a quarter-century in which traditional search has been at the heart of the web, a new paradigm is emerging centered on generative AI."
- Simone Puorto, Founder | CEO | Futurist
Implications for Businesses
For businesses and marketers, these changes present both challenges and opportunities:
- Dual Presence Required: Maintaining visibility in both traditional search engines and AI platforms is becoming crucial
- New User Journeys: Understanding how users move between AI and traditional search can inform content strategy
- First-Mover Advantage: Early adoption of AI visibility optimization could provide significant competitive advantages
The Future of Search
While Google's parent company Alphabet continues to show strong financial performance ($100B profit, up 35% YoY), the search landscape is clearly evolving. The key for businesses isn't to choose between Google or AI platforms, but rather to understand how to maintain visibility across this new, more complex search ecosystem.
Strategic Takeaway: Don't think of AI search as a replacement for traditional search. Instead, view it as an additional channel that requires its own optimization strategy while complementing existing SEO efforts.
Actionable Steps for Businesses
- Monitor Analytics: Track traffic sources including AI platforms
- Optimize Content: Ensure content is structured for both traditional search and AI consumption
- Stay Informed: Keep track of emerging search trends and platform changes
- Experiment: Test different approaches to maintaining visibility across both channels
For more insights on maintaining visibility in AI responses and adapting to the changing search landscape, explore our other resources or contact Aiso for personalized strategies.
Sources:
Note on Data: The search market analysis includes data from multiple sources including SimilarWeb and Datos, focusing on web and mobile browser traffic. In-app activities and API calls are not included in these measurements.