AI-powered search is experiencing explosive growth that’s reshaping the digital landscape. Recent data reveals that traffic from AI platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity has jumped an astounding 527% in just five months. This isn’t just a trend—it’s a fundamental shift in how people find information online. source.
ChatGPT has officially overtaken Wikipedia in monthly traffic, reaching 5.5 billion visits in June 2025, while continuing its aggressive growth trajectory. The platform now processes 2.5 billion prompts daily, with OpenAI targeting 1 billion users by the end of 2025. Meanwhile, Perplexity AI has emerged as a serious contender with 153 million monthly visits and a remarkable 191.9% increase from the previous year. https://explodingtopics.com/blog/perplexity-ai-stats
The implications for traditional search are profound. Google has responded by launching its “AI Mode” in the UK and expanding to 180 countries, fundamentally changing how search results are presented. However, early data suggests that click-through rates to websites have dropped significantly, with some publishers reporting up to 50% fewer clicks from AI-generated summaries. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyj4zky4zwo
This shift represents more than technological advancement—it’s a complete reimagining of information discovery. Users now expect conversational, personalized responses rather than lists of links. For businesses, this means optimizing content for AI citations and answer engines, not just traditional SEO rankings.
The race is intensifying with Apple’s ChatGPT integration through Siri and the upcoming GPT-5 integration in iOS 26. As AI search becomes the norm rather than the exception, companies must adapt their digital strategies to remain visible in this new landscape.
Comparison of AI search engines Perplexity, Google, and ChatGPT highlighting their competitive landscape