AI Search Augments Traditional Engines, Similarweb Data Shows

Image credit: Search Engine Journal

Generative artificial intelligence search is augmenting, rather than replacing, traditional search engines, according to a new report released by Similarweb on Thursday.

The report indicated that AI chatbots are an addition to existing search habits, with 95 percent of ChatGPT users also utilizing Google.

Traditional search engines collectively attract 3.3 billion monthly unique visitors, a figure five times greater than the 655 million combined monthly visitors for AI chatbots, Similarweb reported.

Despite this, generative AI platforms experienced significant growth, recording 9.5 billion average monthly web visits between June 2025 and May 2026, a 70 percent year-over-year increase. App downloads for these platforms surged by 134 percent year-over-year, reaching 2.7 billion during the same period.

The demographic profile of generative AI users is also evolving, with half of the current user base now aged 35 or older, suggesting broadening mainstream adoption beyond younger generations.

Meta AI, for instance, saw its monthly active users triple to 1.2 billion by March 2026, largely due to its integration into widely used platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. Meta AI is also available on WhatsApp and Messenger.

Michael Horrocks, a senior insights manager at Similarweb, stated that AI search is creating a new, fast-growing ecosystem that demands a nuanced measurement strategy from advertisers.

Only 6.8 percent of ChatGPT answers in the U.S. included an external link as of May 2026, though this represented a fivefold increase from a year prior. Rand Fishkin, CEO of SparkToro, noted that a lack of direct links could hinder traffic to publishers.

While 65 percent of URLs cited by ChatGPT were deep content, 58.8 percent of referral traffic from these citations landed on homepages, highlighting a disconnect between citation and user click-through behavior, Similarweb data showed.

Advertisers are increasing their investment in AI search. ChatGPT ad penetration in U.S. desktop chats jumped from 14 percent to 26 percent in a single month.

Ethan Smith, CEO of Graphite, mentioned that brands like CeraVe and NYX Cosmetics are already exploring AI search advertising. Aleyda Solis, an international SEO consultant at Orainti, emphasized the importance of brands understanding how AI features integrate into the search experience.

Kevin Indig, founder of Growth Memo, suggested that AI’s role is to enhance existing search rather than replace it entirely, offering users additional ways to find information.

Source: Search Engine Journal