OpenAI says ChatGPT is catching up to Google in search
News Source
β’2026-11-03T13:30:42-05:00
π° What Happened
OpenAI says the number of searches on ChatGPT now equals about 20% of the searches on Google. Adam Fry, who leads ChatGPT's consumer product, shared the figure at a press event.
OpenAI counts a search when a question sends the chatbot to look something up on the web. Simple requests, like asking for a definition, are not included.
That is still far behind Google, but far ahead of Bing, which held about 3% of the market after more than a decade of trying.
π The Backstory
Google has dominated web search for over 20 years, making most of its money from ads next to results. Microsoft tried to challenge it with Bing and later with AI chat.
During Google's antitrust trial, the company named AI chatbots as a serious threat. ChatGPT launched in late 2022 and quickly became a daily habit for millions of people.
π― Why It Matters
Where people search decides where advertising money goes. If chat replaces search, the free web we use may change shape.
OpenAI says the number of searches on ChatGPT now equals about 20% of the searches on Google. Adam Fry, who leads ChatGPT's consumer product, shared the figure at a press event.
OpenAI counts a search when a question sends the chatbot to look something up on the web. Simple requests, like asking for a definition, are not included.
That is still far behind Google, but far ahead of Bing, which held about 3% of the market after more than a decade of trying.
Google has dominated web search for over 20 years, making most of its money from ads next to results. Microsoft tried to challenge it with Bing and later with AI chat.
During Google's antitrust trial, the company named AI chatbots as a serious threat. ChatGPT launched in late 2022 and quickly became a daily habit for millions of people.
Where people search decides where advertising money goes. If chat replaces search, the free web we use may change shape.