AI search statistics
Checked, sourced figures on how people are moving from search to AI assistants, each with its publisher and date.
Checked through
People using AI assistants to find services
53% share of worldwide generative AI website visits
ChatGPT's share of worldwide generative-AI website visits fell from about 76% to roughly 53% between June 2025 and May 2026, while Gemini rose to about 27-28% and Claude to close to 9%.
“According to Similarweb’s worldwide traffic panel, ChatGPT’s share of generative AI website visits fell from about 76% in June 2025 to roughly 53% by May 2026, a drop of more than 20 percentage points in twelve months.”
Similarweb: AI Search Stats 2026: Market Share, Referral, and Citation Data, published ; checked
1 billion monthly active users (global)
Google's AI Mode has surpassed 1 billion monthly active users, per Alphabet's Q2 2026 earnings remarks.
“Since expanding AI Mode globally last October, we’ve surpassed 1 billion monthly active users.”
Google (Alphabet): Alphabet earnings call Q2 2026: Sundar Pichai remarks, published ; checked
950 million monthly active users (global)
The Gemini app has 950 million monthly active users, with daily active users tripling in a year.
“Next, the Gemini app, which now has 950 million monthly active users, with daily active users tripling in the last year.”
Google (Alphabet): Alphabet earnings call Q2 2026: Sundar Pichai remarks, published ; checked
About half percent of US adults
About half of U.S. adults now use AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot, up from a third in 2024.
“About half of U.S. adults now use AI chatbots, up from a third in 2024 % of U.S. adults who say they ever use AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot”
Pew Research Center: Americans and AI 2026: Chatbots, Smart Devices and Views on Impact, published ; checked
About four-in-ten share of US adults
About four in ten U.S. adults use AI chatbots to search for information, the most common use alongside work tasks.
“Searching for information and work-related tasks are the most common uses: About four-in-ten U.S. adults say they use chatbots for information searching.”
Pew Research Center: Americans and AI 2026: Chatbots, Smart Devices and Views on Impact, published ; checked
44% percent of US adults
44% of U.S. adults say they use ChatGPT, up from 34% in 2025 and 18% in 2023.
“A little under half of U.S. adults (44%) now report using the chatbot, up from 34% last year.”
Pew Research Center: Americans and AI 2026: Chatbots, Smart Devices and Views on Impact, published ; checked
76.9% percent of 'near me' informational queries showing an AI Overview
Informational Google queries containing 'near me' showed an AI Overview 76.9% of the time in Seer's dataset.
“The unexpected: Informational queries containing “near me” showed AIOs 76.9% of the time .”
Seer Interactive: AIO Impact on Google CTR: 2026 Update, published ; checked
900 million weekly active users (global)
ChatGPT has more than 900 million weekly active users, per OpenAI.
“ChatGPT is the overwhelming leader in consumer AI with more than 900 million weekly active users, and over 50 million subscribers.”
OpenAI: OpenAI raises $122 billion to accelerate the next phase of AI, published ; checked
22% percent of US homeowners (recent trades hirers)
22% of U.S. homeowners who recently hired a trades professional now use AI tools such as ChatGPT to research or find recommendations; 83% start their search online.
“The study shows that 83% of homeowners start their search online, and 22% now use AI tools such as ChatGPT to research or find recommendations.”
Scorpion: Scorpion's New Industry Report Reveals a Disconnect Between Homeowners and Local Service Businesses, published ; checked
80% percent of home-services business leaders
80% of home-services business leaders surveyed say they are unsure how to appear in AI-driven search results.
“At the same time, 55% of business leaders struggle to differentiate themselves from competitors, and 80% are unsure how to appear in AI-driven search results.”
Scorpion: Scorpion's New Industry Report Reveals a Disconnect Between Homeowners and Local Service Businesses, published ; checked
45% percent of US consumers
45% of U.S. consumers used ChatGPT or other generative AI tools for local business recommendations, up from 6% a year earlier, making AI the third most popular source.
“Use of ChatGPT and other generative AI tools for local recommendations has grown rapidly, rising from 6% last year to 45% and becoming the third most popular source of business recommendations.”
BrightLocal: Local Consumer Review Survey 2026, published ; checked
71% percent of US consumers
The share of U.S. consumers using Google to read reviews of local businesses fell from 83% in 2025 to 71% in 2026.
“Google has always been the standout source for reviews, but this year its share has dipped from 83% in 2025 to 71%.”
BrightLocal: Local Consumer Review Survey 2026, published ; checked
4.3-star ratings average rating of ChatGPT-recommended locations
Locations that ChatGPT recommends average a 4.3-star rating.
“SOCi’s research shows that locations recommended by ChatGPT average 4.3-star ratings, underscoring how heavily AI platforms rely on reviews to assess trust and relevance.”
SOCi: In AI-Driven Discovery, Few Brands Are Chosen, Most Disappear, published ; checked
1.2% percent of brand locations recommended by ChatGPT
ChatGPT recommended just 1.2% of multi-location brands' locations, versus a 35.9% average appearance rate in Google's local 3-Pack.
“ChatGPT recommends just 1.2% of brand locations, compared to an average 35.9% appearance rate in Google’s local 3-Pack, making AI visibility nearly 30 times more selective than traditional local search.”
SOCi: In AI-Driven Discovery, Few Brands Are Chosen, Most Disappear, published ; checked
no special schema.org structured data documented fact
Google says no special schema.org markup or AI text files are needed for AI Overviews/AI Mode, but recommends structured data match visible text and that Business Profile and Merchant Center information be up to date.
“You don't need to create new machine readable files, AI text files, or markup to appear in these features. There's also no special schema.org structured data that you need to add.”
Google Search Central: AI features and your website, published ; checked
86% percent of AI citations
Across 6.8 million AI citations from ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity on location-specific queries, 86% came from sources brands control or manage: websites (44%), listings (42%) and reviews/social (8%).
“The research shows that 86% of citations come from sources brands already control, such as websites and listings .”
Yext: Yext Research: 86% of AI Citations Come from Brand-Managed Sources, Clarifying How Marketers Can Compete in the AI Search Era, published ; checked
33% percent of test searches citing Yelp
In BrightLocal's test of local searches across ChatGPT Search, Gemini, Google AI Mode and Perplexity, Yelp was used as a source in 33% of searches, and every platform used directories.
“Despite a fluctuating reputation among some users, Yelp remains an undeniable force in AI search: Yelp was used as a source in 33% of our overall searches.”
BrightLocal: AI Search Makes Local Listings More Important Than Ever, published ; checked
42% percent of LLM users
Among users of AI chatbots, roughly 68% use them for research and 42% ask them for shopping recommendations.
“Bain finds roughly 68% of LLM users rely on these platforms for researching, gathering, and summarizing information. Some 48% use them to understand the latest news and weather, and 42% ask for shopping recommendations.”
Bain & Company: Consumer reliance on AI search results signals new era of marketing – Bain & Company, published ; checked
AI Overviews and clicks from search
1 billion monthly active users (global)
Google's AI Mode has surpassed 1 billion monthly active users, per Alphabet's Q2 2026 earnings remarks.
“Since expanding AI Mode globally last October, we’ve surpassed 1 billion monthly active users.”
Google (Alphabet): Alphabet earnings call Q2 2026: Sundar Pichai remarks, published ; checked
billions of clicks clicks to websites from Google AI features
Google says AI Mode, like AI Overviews, is increasing overall Search queries, and that AI features send billions of clicks to websites weekly.
“And just like AI Overviews, AI Mode is driving an incremental increase in Search queries overall, and we’re now sending billions of clicks to websites every week through AI features in Search.”
Google (Alphabet): Alphabet earnings call Q2 2026: Sundar Pichai remarks, published ; checked
68.01% percent of US Google searches ending with no click
68% of U.S. Google searches in January-April 2026 ended without a click, up from about 60% in 2024.
“In the first four months of 2026, a whopping 68.01% of Google searches ended without a click .”
SparkToro: In 2026, Less than One Third of Google Searches Still Send a Click, published ; checked
+120% organic clicks per impression, cited vs not cited
Brands cited inside a Google AI Overview earn 120% more organic clicks per impression than when they are not cited.
“Being cited in the AIO delivers +120% more organic clicks per impression versus when you are not cited.”
Seer Interactive: AIO Impact on Google CTR: 2026 Update, published ; checked
36% percent of queries showing an AI Overview, by intent
Google showed an AI Overview on 36% of informational queries but only 8% of commercial and 5% of transactional queries.
“Informational queries show an AIO 36% of the time, while commercial queries show AIOs 8% of the time and transactional queries show AIOs 5% of the time.”
Seer Interactive: AIO Impact on Google CTR: 2026 Update, published ; checked
76.9% percent of 'near me' informational queries showing an AI Overview
Informational Google queries containing 'near me' showed an AI Overview 76.9% of the time in Seer's dataset.
“The unexpected: Informational queries containing “near me” showed AIOs 76.9% of the time .”
Seer Interactive: AIO Impact on Google CTR: 2026 Update, published ; checked
58% lower CTR for position 1
When a Google AI Overview is present, the top-ranking page's average click-through rate is 58% lower (December 2025 data).
“We found that the presence of an AI Overview now correlates with a 58% lower average clickthrough rate for the top-ranking page.”
Ahrefs: Update: AI Overviews Reduce Clicks by 58%, published ; checked
no additional requirements documented fact
Google states there are no additional requirements or special optimizations to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode; a page must be indexed and eligible to show with a snippet.
“There are no additional requirements to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode, nor other special optimizations necessary.”
Google Search Central: AI features and your website, published ; checked
no special schema.org structured data documented fact
Google says no special schema.org markup or AI text files are needed for AI Overviews/AI Mode, but recommends structured data match visible text and that Business Profile and Merchant Center information be up to date.
“You don't need to create new machine readable files, AI text files, or markup to appear in these features. There's also no special schema.org structured data that you need to add.”
Google Search Central: AI features and your website, published ; checked
query fan-out documented fact
Google documents that AI Overviews and AI Mode may use 'query fan-out', issuing multiple related searches across subtopics and data sources to build one answer.
“Both AI Overviews and AI Mode may use a "query fan-out" technique — issuing multiple related searches across subtopics and data sources — to develop a response.”
Google Search Central: AI features and your website, published ; checked
8% percent of Google search visits with a click on a result
Google users who saw an AI summary clicked a traditional search result in 8% of visits, versus 15% when no AI summary appeared.
“Users who encountered an AI summary clicked on a traditional search result link in 8% of all visits. Those who did not encounter an AI summary clicked on a search result nearly twice as often (15% of visits).”
Pew Research Center: Google users are less likely to click on links when an AI summary appears in the results, published ; checked
18% percent of Google searches
About one in five (18%) Google searches by U.S. adults in March 2025 produced an AI summary.
“Some 18% of all the Google searches in our study generated an AI summary as part of the search results.”
Pew Research Center: Google users are less likely to click on links when an AI summary appears in the results, published ; checked
1% percent of visits to Google results pages with an AI summary
Google users clicked a link inside the AI summary itself in just 1% of visits to pages that showed one.
“Google users who encountered an AI summary also rarely clicked on a link in the summary itself. This occurred in just 1% of all visits to pages with such a summary.”
Pew Research Center: Google users are less likely to click on links when an AI summary appears in the results, published ; checked
80% percent of consumers
80% of consumers rely on AI-written results for at least 40% of their searches, which Bain estimates reduces organic web traffic by 15% to 25%.
“New research from Bain & Company finds 80% of consumers now rely on AI-written results for at least 40% of their searches, reducing organic web traffic by 15% to 25%.”
Bain & Company: Consumer reliance on AI search results signals new era of marketing – Bain & Company, published ; checked
Visits that AI assistants send to websites
770.7 million average monthly referral visits from AI platforms, worldwide
AI platforms sent an average of 770.7 million referral visits a month to websites worldwide (June 2025-May 2026), more than double the year before.
“According to Similarweb’s 2026 Generative AI Landscape report , AI platforms drove an average of 770.7 million referral visits per month worldwide between June 2025 and May 2026, more than double the year before (+117.4%, desktop and mobile web).”
Similarweb: AI Referral Traffic by Industry: 2026 Data, published ; checked
6.8% percent of US ChatGPT prompts with citations
The share of U.S. ChatGPT prompts whose answers include web citations rose from about 1.6% (June 2025) to about 6.8% (May 2026); professional services sit under 4%.
“Similarweb data shows the presence of citations in US ChatGPT prompts rising from about 1.6% in June 2025 to roughly 6.8% by May 2026, more than quadrupling over 11 months.”
Similarweb: AI Search Stats 2026: Market Share, Referral, and Citation Data, published ; checked
693.4% year-over-year increase in AI-referred visits to US retail sites
Traffic to U.S. retail sites from generative AI tools rose 693.4% year over year in the 2025 holiday season (Nov 1 - Dec 31).
“This season, traffic to retail sites from generative AI tools (shoppers clicking on a link to a retail site) increased by 693.4% compared to the year prior.”
Adobe: Adobe: Holiday Shopping Season Drove a Record $257.8 Billion Online with Consumers Embracing Generative AI Tools, published ; checked
4.4 times relative value per visit (conversion rate)
Semrush estimates the average AI-search visitor is worth 4.4 times the average traditional organic search visitor, based on conversion rate.
“We have seen that the average AI search visitor (tracked to a non-Google search source like ChatGPT) is 4.4 times as valuable as the average visit from traditional organic search, based on conversion rate.”
Semrush: We Studied the Impact of AI Search on SEO Traffic, published ; checked
Forecasts for search
25% forecast decline in traditional search engine volume by 2026
Gartner forecast in February 2024 that traditional search engine volume would drop 25% by 2026 as AI chatbots and virtual agents take share.
“By 2026, traditional search engine volume will drop 25%, with search marketing losing market share to AI chatbots and other virtual agents, according to Gartner, Inc.”
Gartner: Gartner Predicts Search Engine Volume Will Drop 25% by 2026, Due to AI Chatbots and Other Virtual Agents, published ; checked
How these figures are chosen and checked
Every figure here was published by someone else. For each one we record the exact sentence from the page, the publisher, the publication date, and the date we checked it against the page; a figure we cannot see on the page is dropped. We prefer primary research (surveys, platform disclosures, analytics firms' own data) over articles that quote it, and link the primary page when it can be reached. Ben Hinton approves each figure before it appears here.
Download: CSV · JSON · dataset page. Our compilation is CC BY 4.0; each figure belongs to its publisher.