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AI Search Statistics 2026 (Sourced, Updated Quarterly)
by the AEO GEO Labs team6 min read
These AI search statistics are the 2026 numbers we trust enough to cite, each linked to its original source and dated. The headline picture: Google still handles about 90% of search engine use, ChatGPT reported 900 million weekly users in February 2026, Google AI Mode passed 1 billion monthly users, and AI summaries cut clicks to websites roughly in half in Pew's study.
We built this page because most "AI statistics" roundups recycle the same figures with no source, or cite other roundups. Every number below links to the organization that produced it. If we couldn't trace a number to its origin, it isn't here. The figures feed the arguments in our GEO, AEO and SEO framework. Last reviewed: October 2026. Next review: January 2027.
AI search statistics on usage and adoption
AI search usage statistics show fast adoption of chatbots alongside, not instead of, traditional search. These are the most reliable usage figures as of October 2026.
| Statistic | Source | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 49% of U.S. adults use AI chatbots, up from 33% in 2024 | Pew Research Center | Survey February 2026 |
| 44% of U.S. adults have used ChatGPT | Pew Research Center | Survey February 2026 |
| 42% of U.S. adults use chatbots to search for information | Pew Research Center | Survey February 2026 |
| About a quarter of U.S. adults use chatbots daily | Pew Research Center | Survey February 2026 |
| AI platforms drew 9.5 billion visits a month, up 70% year on year | Similarweb | Report July 2026 |
| AI platforms had 655 million unique visitors, up 57% year on year | Similarweb | Report July 2026 |
Pew's survey covered 5,119 U.S. adults, so these figures describe Americans, not the global population. Similarweb measures web and app traffic panels, which are estimates rather than counts.
Google AI Overviews and AI Mode statistics
Google AI Overviews and AI Mode statistics show that most people who see AI answers see them on Google, not in a separate chatbot.
| Statistic | Source | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Google holds 89.94% of worldwide search engine use; Bing holds 5.29% | Statcounter | September 2026 |
| AI Overviews had over 2 billion monthly users in more than 200 countries | Alphabet Q2 2025 earnings remarks | July 2025 |
| AI Mode passed 1 billion monthly active users | Alphabet Q2 2026 earnings remarks | July 2026 |
| The Gemini app had 950 million monthly active users | Alphabet Q2 2026 earnings remarks | July 2026 |
| About 18% of Google searches in a U.S. panel produced an AI summary | Pew Research Center | March 2025 data |
The AI Overviews user figure is from mid-2025. Google has announced newer figures for AI Mode and the Gemini app since, and we will update the AI Overviews row when Google publishes a newer number in a primary source.
ChatGPT search statistics
ChatGPT search statistics show a very large user base whose share of the AI category is shrinking as Gemini grows.
| Statistic | Source | Date |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT reached 900 million weekly active users | OpenAI, reported by TechCrunch | February 2026 |
| ChatGPT's share of worldwide generative AI web traffic fell from about 76% to about 53% | Similarweb | June 2025 to May 2026 |
| Gemini's share of generative AI web traffic rose from under 9% to about 27 to 28% | Similarweb | June 2025 to May 2026 |
| Claude's share of generative AI web traffic grew from about 2% to close to 9% | Similarweb | June 2025 to May 2026 |
| Citations appeared in about 6.8% of U.S. ChatGPT responses, up from about 1.6% | Similarweb | June 2025 to May 2026 |
Our view: the citation figure is the one marketers should watch. Most ChatGPT answers still link to nobody. When they do link, the sources they choose decide who gets the visit. Our guide to AI visibility explains how to measure your share of those answers.
Click and traffic statistics
Click and traffic statistics show the clearest business impact of AI search: when an AI summary appears, fewer people click through to websites.
| Statistic | Source | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Users clicked a traditional result in 8% of visits with an AI summary, against 15% without | Pew Research Center | March 2025 data |
| Only 1% of visits with an AI summary included a click on a link inside it | Pew Research Center | March 2025 data |
| Users ended their browsing session on 26% of pages with an AI summary, against 16% without | Pew Research Center | March 2025 data |
| An AI Overview correlated with a 58% lower average clickthrough rate for the top-ranking page | Ahrefs | December 2025 data, published February 2026 |
Google disputes studies like these and says total organic click volume has been relatively stable. Both views can hold at once, because losses concentrate on informational queries while other query types are less affected. For the full argument, see whether ChatGPT is replacing Google.
AI answer accuracy and GEO research statistics
AI answer accuracy and GEO research statistics show two things: AI engines often cite sources poorly, and the way content is written measurably changes whether it gets used.
| Statistic | Source | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Eight AI search tools gave incorrect answers to more than 60% of test queries about news articles | Columbia Journalism Review, Tow Center | March 2025 |
| Content changes such as adding citations, quotations and statistics raised visibility in generative engine responses by up to 40% on a research benchmark | Aggarwal et al., GEO paper | 2023, presented at KDD 2024 |
The GEO paper's 40% figure is a lab result on its own test set. It shows direction, not a promise for any live engine.
How we choose these statistics
We include a statistic only when we can trace it to the organization that measured it, and we date every one. Three rules apply.
- Original source only. We link to the survey, filing, report or paper, not to a roundup quoting it. Where only a news report of a company statement exists, we say so.
- Dated and scoped. Every figure carries the period it measures and the population it covers. A U.S. survey is labeled as one.
- Removed when superseded. When a source publishes newer data, we replace the old row rather than stacking contradictory numbers.
Frequently asked questions
How many people use AI search in 2026?
Exact global counts don't exist, but the best public indicators are large. OpenAI reported 900 million weekly ChatGPT users in February 2026, Alphabet said AI Mode passed 1 billion monthly users in July 2026, and Pew found that 49% of U.S. adults used AI chatbots in its February 2026 survey. Many of these people also still use traditional search.
What percentage of Google searches show AI Overviews?
In Pew Research Center's study of 900 U.S. adults' real browsing in March 2025, about 18% of Google searches produced an AI summary. The share varies by query type, country and time, and Google has expanded AI features since then. Treat any single percentage as a snapshot, and check your own queries, because the rate for your topic may differ widely from the average.
Do AI Overviews reduce website traffic?
The best independent evidence says yes for many queries. Pew found users clicked a traditional search result in 8% of visits when an AI summary appeared, against 15% without one. Ahrefs found an AI Overview correlated with a 58% lower average clickthrough rate for the top-ranking page in December 2025. Google disputes the overall impact and says total organic clicks are relatively stable.
What is ChatGPT's market share in AI search?
It depends on the measure. Similarweb's July 2026 report estimated ChatGPT's share of worldwide generative AI web traffic fell from about 76% to about 53% between June 2025 and May 2026, with Gemini rising to about 27 to 28%. ChatGPT remains the largest AI assistant by traffic, but Google search itself still handles far more queries overall.
If you want these trends measured for your own brand, AEO GEO Labs runs GEO, AEO and SEO programs for B2B and SaaS teams, starting with a free AI visibility report. See our services.