ChatGPT Search Reaches One-Fifth of Google’s Query Volume

OpenAI says web searches initiated through ChatGPT have reached roughly 20 percent of Google’s search-query volume. Adam Fry, the chatbot’s consumer product lead, shared the figure at a press event on November 2. The company counts a search when a user’s prompt triggers a web search, not when ChatGPT answers a basic question without searching the web. Fry did not give the source for Google’s query total.

The figure signals a growing role for AI chatbots in search, though ChatGPT’s volume remains well below Google’s. Google has been adding generative AI features to its search products, while OpenAI is working on more visual and interactive responses. Fry described the direction as a conversational interface built around a canvas.

OpenAI is also pursuing advertising as a potential source of revenue. Fry said ads had not caused a lasting negative effect on product use, and that many users appeared comfortable with them. Last month, the company said it would start displaying pictures of sponsored goods and services in ChatGPT, expanding beyond company names, logos and links. On November 3, the company’s search announcement comes amid broader competition to bring AI features into online search.