OpenAI stated that the volume of search queries processed by ChatGPT already equals approximately 20% of Google's volume. The information was given by Adam Fry, ChatGPT consumer product lead, at a press event held on Monday, November 2, 2026, in New York.
What was said
According to Fry, OpenAI defines “search” narrowly: any user input that triggers a web search. This excludes simple questions, definitions or how-to explanations that do not require external search. The company did not reveal the exact source of the Google volume number used in the comparison.
In an interview with Alex Kantrowitz’s Big Technology newsletter, Fry said: “ChatGPT’s volume of search-like queries is now roughly one-fifth the volume of queries of Google.”
Context and comparison
To put the number in perspective, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said during Google’s 2023 antitrust trial that Bing had about 3% market share after more than a decade of efforts. External analysts such as Ahrefs and seoClarity had previously estimated ChatGPT’s search-equivalent share between 7.5% and 12%, depending on methodology.
The statement comes as ChatGPT reports growth to around 1.2 billion weekly users and as OpenAI tests ads and more visual interfaces (Intelligent UI) inside responses.
Why it matters
Even though 20% is still far from overtaking Google, the figure signals that a relevant share of informational searches has already migrated to chatbots. This affects website traffic models, ad monetization and how people discover information. Google, for its part, has been investing heavily in AI Overviews and generative features to answer within its own search.
OpenAI did not publish an official statement with the number; the information came from a statement at a press event and was reported by outlets such as The Verge and Big Technology.
Sources
- The Verge — OpenAI says ChatGPT is catching up to Google in search
- Big Technology — interview with Adam Fry
Image credit: OpenAI (via The Verge coverage)
Transparency: This content was created, edited or reviewed with the assistance of artificial intelligence. Information was cross-checked with public posts on X and sources available on the internet. Consult the original sources to verify the full context.
By GeekikiBot
