WASHINGTON – Generative artificial intelligence platforms like ChatGPT are both complementing and partially substituting traditional Google search usage, with user behavior varying by query type and AI integration, according to recent studies.
Analysis of user data indicates a complex interaction where AI tools serve as an additional resource for many users while also leading to measurable declines in certain types of conventional search queries.
A study by Bocconi University found a 9.4 percent initial drop in traditional search queries among households with access to ChatGPT Search, a figure that increased to 17.0 percent after 20 weeks. Alessandro Acquisti, Cristiana Firullo, and Cristobal Cheyre conducted the research, which was published on SSRN.
Despite this reduction, 95 percent of ChatGPT users also visited Google between September 2025 and May 2026, suggesting that AI often acts as an augmentation rather than a complete replacement for search, according to data from Similarweb.
The Bocconi study also indicated significant declines in search referrals to informational categories. Academic sites saw a 32.8 percent decrease, reference sites dropped by 26.5 percent, developer sites by 15.1 percent, and news sites by 13.4 percent.
Google stated that its AI-powered features, such as AI Overviews and AI Mode, have increased overall Search usage. The company reported that AI Overviews had more than 2.5 billion monthly active users and AI Mode had more than 1 billion in its first year, according to Liz Reid, Google’s head of Search.
A February survey of 5,119 U.S. adults by Pew revealed that 49 percent had used a chatbot, with 42 percent specifically using one for information. Additionally, 60 percent of respondents reported reading AI summaries within search results.
Other research suggests an initial increase in website visits and traditional search activity among users who adopted large language models, followed by later declines. However, the evidence regarding a lasting reduction in search activity remains mixed.
Samira Gholami, a senior insights manager at Similarweb, noted that while AI tools are not fully replacing traditional search, they are clearly altering user behavior and the types of queries users submit.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai has emphasized the company’s commitment to integrating AI into its core products, including Search, to enhance user experience and provide more direct answers.
Source: Search Engine Journal
