ChatGPT’s Dominance in AI Chatbot Traffic Wanes as Gemini Surges Ahead
In the rapidly evolving landscape of generative AI chatbots, ChatGPT, once an unchallenged leader, has seen its web traffic share erode significantly over the past year. According to data from Similarweb, ChatGPT’s portion of total visits to the top AI chatbots plummeted from 78 percent in September 2023 to just 54 percent by September 2024. This marks a substantial shift in user behavior and market dynamics, with Google’s Gemini emerging as a quiet but formidable contender by tripling its traffic during the same period.
Similarweb’s analysis tracks monthly visits to the leading AI chatbot websites, providing a clear snapshot of user engagement. In September 2023, ChatGPT commanded an overwhelming majority, reflecting its explosive popularity following OpenAI’s 2022 launch. However, by September 2024, its lead had narrowed considerably. Gemini, formerly known as Bard, started the year with a modest 3 percent share but climbed to 13 percent by the end of the period, effectively tripling its reach. This growth underscores Google’s strategic push into the conversational AI space, bolstered by seamless integrations across its ecosystem.
Other players have also carved out niches amid ChatGPT’s decline. Perplexity AI, known for its search-enhanced responses, saw its traffic share rise from 3 percent to 7 percent. Anthropic’s Claude experienced a more modest uptick, moving from 4 percent to 5 percent. Microsoft’s Copilot, leveraging OpenAI technology but embedded in Bing and other services, held steady around 10 percent throughout much of the year before dipping slightly to 9 percent. Collectively, these competitors have chipped away at ChatGPT’s fortress, with non-ChatGPT sites now accounting for nearly half of all traffic to the top AI chatbots.
Several factors contribute to this redistribution of traffic. Google’s aggressive promotion of Gemini plays a pivotal role. Initially launched as Bard in early 2023, the tool was rebranded and enhanced with multimodal capabilities, including image generation and analysis via Imagen 2 and Veo. Crucially, Gemini has been deeply integrated into Google products: it powers AI Overviews in search results, appears in the Google app, and is available directly on gemini.google.com. This ubiquity exposes Gemini to Google’s vast user base, driving organic traffic without requiring users to seek it out separately.
ChatGPT, by contrast, relies more on direct visits to chat.openai.com or its mobile app. While OpenAI has introduced features like GPT-4o with voice and vision modes, and expanded to enterprise offerings, it lacks the same level of ecosystem lock-in. Recent controversies, including data privacy concerns and occasional service outages, may have also tempered enthusiasm. OpenAI’s pivot toward subscription models with ChatGPT Plus and Team plans could deter casual users, pushing them toward free alternatives.
Similarweb’s methodology focuses on desktop and mobile web traffic to core chatbot domains, excluding embedded instances like those in search engines or apps. This approach highlights standalone usage but may underrepresent integrated experiences. For instance, Copilot’s traffic is measured via copilot.microsoft.com, while Gemini’s includes gemini.google.com. DeepSeek, a Chinese AI model, rounds out the top performers with steady 5 percent share, appealing particularly in non-Western markets.
The data reveals monthly fluctuations underscoring competitive intensity. ChatGPT peaked at 79 percent in November 2023 before a gradual slide. Gemini’s trajectory was steadier, with notable spikes following major updates, such as the Gemini 1.5 Pro release in May 2024, which expanded context windows to 2 million tokens. Perplexity’s growth accelerated post its funding rounds and Pro search features, positioning it as a hybrid search-chatbot.
This shift signals broader maturation in the AI chatbot market. Users increasingly diversify, seeking specialized tools: Perplexity for research, Claude for coding assistance, and Gemini for Google-centric workflows. ChatGPT remains the volume leader with billions of visits, but its monopoly is eroding. OpenAI’s traffic still dwarfs rivals—around 3.7 billion visits in September 2024 versus Gemini’s 900 million—but relative share matters for momentum and investor confidence.
Looking ahead, expect intensified competition. Google continues iterating on Gemini with plans for agentic capabilities and deeper Android integration. OpenAI counters with o1 reasoning models and potential hardware like SearchGPT. As traffic fragments, metrics like retention, query quality, and monetization will define winners. For now, ChatGPT’s crown slips, but the throne room grows crowded.
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