OpenAI has revealed that the volume of searches conducted via ChatGPT now equals roughly 20% of the total registered by its rival, Google. This data was presented by Adam Fry, the head of consumer products for ChatGPT, during a gathering with journalists in New York. The figure underscores the tool's advancement in the search sector, which has long been under Google's control. The ChatGPT search feature was launched approximately two years ago and has expanded its reach as users increasingly turn to artificial intelligence to access updated information.
Fry clarified that OpenAI counts a query only when a question necessitates a web lookup, meaning not every message sent to the chatbot is included in this specific metric. Beyond writing and programming tasks, the chatbot now handles inquiries regarding finance, health, people, and locations. According to OpenAI, the platform has reached 1.2 billion weekly active users, following a growth of 200 million users in just 60 days.
This comparison helps illustrate OpenAI's progress relative to other competitors. During Google's antitrust trial in 2023, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella stated that Bing held approximately a 3% share of the search market despite years of investment. At that time, Google itself acknowledged artificial intelligence as a potential threat to its business. Since then, the company has accelerated AI integration into its search engine with features like AI Overview and AI Mode, though this strategy presents commercial challenges as AI-generated answers may reduce ad monetization compared to traditional results.
OpenAI is also preparing an interface that unifies conversations and professional tasks with visual and interactive responses. This change aims to concentrate ChatGPT resources in a single environment to expand its use for research and productivity. The growth in search volume is part of OpenAI's strategy to increase revenue and prepare for a potential initial public offering (IPO) in early 2027. The company has already begun inserting sponsored content into ChatGPT responses, including images of products and services.
Fry stated that these advertisements have not harmed the user experience and that most users appear to accept the advertising on the platform. He also noted that the voice mode of ChatGPT registers 250 million weekly active users, covering dictation and spoken conversations, while the tool generates 1.5 billion images in the same period. OpenAI plans to unify the Chat and Work modes by removing the selector located at the top of the interface. Fry also commented on the possibility of expanding advertising presence, suggesting that initial experiences indicate the company could explore this business model further.
Sources: Canaltech.