OpenAI says ChatGPT accounts for 20% of Google’s search volume
OpenAI consumer product lead Adam Fry said at a press event that ChatGPT now processes web searches at 20% the volume of Google, reflecting the growing use of “Ask Chat” as an alternative to traditional search.
OpenAI counts a query as a search when it produces a web search, excluding tasks such as defining a term or answering a simple how-to question. Fry did not disclose the source of the Google search-volume data, so the comparison should be treated as an OpenAI-provided figure rather than independently verified market data.
Even at one-fifth of Google’s volume, ChatGPT’s search activity is substantial. The announcement also highlights a broader shift in how people seek information: conversational AI interfaces are becoming a significant channel for web discovery alongside conventional search engines.