Generative AI is evolving from a novelty tool into a core layer of internet infrastructure. Recent data from Similarweb reveals that global AI services attracted approximately 7 billion visits in September 2025, marking a 76% year-over-year increase. This traffic volume now rivals mainstream social networks.
The growth extends beyond web platforms. Mobile adoption has surged even faster, with AI app sessions quintupling over the past year and downloads skyrocketing by 778%. ChatGPT remains the dominant player, recording about 5.9 billion visits in September and ranking among the world’s top five most-visited websites.
User demographics are shifting. While 18–34-year-olds still form the largest cohort (53%, or 1.9 billion users), the 45+ age group is growing fastest, now accounting for nearly 30% of total visits. This signals AI’s expansion beyond early adopters into broader populations.
Notably, AI chatbots haven’t replaced traditional search engines. Among ChatGPT’s 462 million visitors, 95% also use Google, indicating users toggle between conversational AI and search engines based on task requirements.
**ChatGPT Commands 80% of Global AI Traffic** OpenAI’s platform has solidified its lead, growing from 19 million monthly visits in 2022 to 5.9 billion in September 2025—placing it alongside Instagram (6.5 billion visits) in global rankings. Despite competition from Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity, ChatGPT holds nearly 80% of generative AI traffic, underscoring first-mover advantages in user habit formation.
**Parallel Usage: AI and Search Engines Coexist** Data suggests a complementary rather than substitutive relationship. The 441 million overlapping users of ChatGPT and Google highlight context-dependent usage patterns.
In engagement metrics, ChatGPT outperforms rivals. Its U.S. mobile app boasts 41.3 million monthly active users (MAUs), with 33% opening it daily. By contrast, Perplexity (3.4 million MAUs) and Microsoft Copilot (3.1 million MAUs) see just 5%–17% daily activity, reflecting sporadic usage.
**Older Users Drive Acceleration** The 45+ demographic’s rapid adoption—now nearly 30% of visits—demonstrates generative AI’s mainstream appeal. Their uptake confirms improved usability and practical value recognition.
**AI Integration Remains Experimental** While Google’s "AI Mode" became the fastest generative AI feature to reach 100 million U.S. visits (leveraging its existing user base), over half of users interacted with it only once during a two-month observation period. This indicates nascent habits and underscores the need for deeper ecosystem integration to cultivate sustained engagement.
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