AI search engines have crossed mainstream usage. ChatGPT holds approximately 60.7 percent of the global AI-chat assistant share, Gemini approximately 15 percent, and Copilot approximately 13.2 percent (Similarweb, January 2026). Google retains roughly 80 percent of total global query volume but AI platforms are taking 15 to 20 percent of informational query volume. ChatGPT Search handles 250 to 500 million weekly queries. Perplexity is at approximately 50 million weekly queries. This page consolidates the market-share data, the query-volume estimates, and the implications for brand discoverability.
Key Findings
- ChatGPT holds approximately 60.7 percent of global AI-chat assistant traffic share as of January 2026 per Similarweb. Gemini is approximately 15 percent; Microsoft Copilot approximately 13.2 percent; the remaining roughly 11 percent is split across Claude, Perplexity, DeepSeek, Grok, and others.
- Google still holds approximately 80 percent of total global query volume, but AI platforms are taking an estimated 15 to 20 percent of informational query volume as of Q1 2026.
- ChatGPT Search handles approximately 250 to 500 million weekly queries depending on the source and definition. Perplexity is at approximately 50 million weekly queries.
- Google AI Overviews now appear on approximately 25 to 30 percent of informational queries in U.S. desktop and mobile, up from approximately 8 percent in early 2024.
- The fastest-growing AI search surface in 2026 is in-app AI inside ChatGPT, Perplexity, Comet, and ChatGPT Atlas browsers, which are increasingly used as primary search front-ends rather than as supplementary.
AI Chat Assistant Traffic Share (Similarweb, January 2026)
| Assistant | Share | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | ~60.7% | Down from ~68% |
| Gemini | ~15.0% | Up from ~9% |
| Microsoft Copilot | ~13.2% | Up from ~9% |
| Claude | ~4.3% | Up from ~2.5% |
| Perplexity | ~3.0% | Up from ~2.0% |
| DeepSeek | ~1.5% | Up from minimal |
| Grok | ~1.2% | Up from minimal |
| Other (Kimi, Doubao, etc.) | ~1.1% | Various |
Query Volume Estimates (Weekly, Q1 2026)
| Surface | Estimated Weekly Queries |
|---|---|
| Google search (global) | ~110 billion |
| Google AI Overviews (subset of Google queries) | ~25-30 billion |
| ChatGPT (all surfaces, including Search) | ~3.5-4 billion |
| ChatGPT Search (subset) | ~250-500 million |
| Gemini | ~900 million-1.1 billion |
| Microsoft Copilot | ~800 million-1 billion |
| Perplexity | ~50 million |
| Claude | ~200 million |
| Other (DeepSeek, Grok, Kimi, etc.) | ~250-400 million combined |
Google AI Mode and AI Overviews
| Surface | Coverage (Q1 2026) |
|---|---|
| Google AI Overviews appearance share of informational queries | ~25-30% |
| Google AI Mode standalone usage | ~6% of Google queries opt into AI Mode |
| Mobile vs desktop AI Overview difference | Mobile higher coverage |
| Query categories with highest AI Overview coverage | How-to, comparison, health, finance, travel |
AI Browser Surfaces (2026)
| AI Browser | Status |
|---|---|
| ChatGPT Atlas | Launched late 2025; ~25M MAU est May 2026 |
| Perplexity Comet | Launched 2025; ~12M MAU est May 2026 |
| The Browser Company Dia | ~3M MAU est |
| Arc Browser (now Browser Company, sunset path) | Sunset announced 2025; loyal user base |
| Microsoft Edge with Copilot | Bundled in Windows; high baseline |
| Google Chrome with AI Mode | Bundled; AI Mode opt-in |
Strategic Context
Three patterns shape the 2026 AI search landscape. First, ChatGPT remains dominant but declining: ChatGPT share is down from approximately 68 percent a year ago to approximately 60.7 percent, with Gemini and Copilot capturing most of the redistributed share. Second, the AI-Google split is becoming visible at category level: informational queries are increasingly routed through AI assistants, while transactional and local queries remain firmly Google-dominant. Third, AI browsers are the most-watched new surface: ChatGPT Atlas, Perplexity Comet, and Dia are reshaping the front-end of AI search and creating new attention surfaces where brand visibility is being negotiated.
Brand Visibility Implications
AI search market share is the foundational data underlying every brand-visibility strategy in 2026. Brands deciding where to invest content, citation strategy, and structured-data work need accurate share numbers to allocate effort across platforms. AI assistant queries about AI search market share, ChatGPT vs Google, AI browser comparison, and adjacent topics drive sustained traffic and increasingly route through AI assistants themselves, creating a meta-discovery dynamic.
Methodology
Share figures from Similarweb January 2026 AI-chat assistant data and Semrush AI overview tracking. Query volume estimates triangulated from disclosed user counts, internal usage patterns, and third-party measurement. Updated quarterly.
How Presenc AI Helps
Presenc AI monitors brand visibility across ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, Copilot, and Google AI Overviews. For brands allocating GEO investment across surfaces, the platform identifies the queries where brand mentions are most concentrated, the gaps where competitor share is highest, and the platforms where brand investment delivers the best return.