AI Assistants Now Match More Than Half of All Search Engine Traffic

AI tools now generate 45 billion monthly sessions worldwide — about 56% of search engine volume, according to new research. ChatGPT dominates AI usage, representing 89% of global AI sessions. The study analyzed five major AI platforms — ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Grok, and Claude — alongside six leading search engines. Most comparisons underestimate AI activity by 4–5x because most usage occurs in mobile apps, not websites. Total usage across search engines and AI assistants has grown 26% globally since 2023. Google's share of search-related activity fell from 89% in 2023 to 71% in Q4 2025, while U.S. AI usage surged roughly 300% year over year by December 2025. The findings suggest marketers need both traditional search optimization and AI visibility strategies.