Alphabet Inc.‘s (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Gemini is executing a silent takeover of the generative AI market, surging to an 18.2% traffic share in just one year while industry pioneer ChatGPT suffers a massive double-digit decline in dominance.
New data from Similarweb reveals a dramatic reshaping of the AI landscape. Over the last 12 months, Google’s Gemini has more than tripled its slice of generative AI web traffic, climbing from a modest 5.4% to 18.2%.
This surge comes directly at the expense of OpenAI‘s ChatGPT, which has seen its stranglehold on the market loosen significantly.
Don’t Miss:
Once commanding an 87.2% share, ChatGPT has slid to 68.0%—a staggering 19-point drop. Market analysts are calling this a definitive “takeover arc,” suggesting that the initial hype wave is settling into a phase where Google’s infrastructure is winning out.
“That is not noise,” noted Solid Finance CEO Sam Badawi. “If you believe web behavior reflects user preference at scale, then this is the clearest signal that [Google] is not only in the game, it is winning share.”
THE SHIFT IS REAL. GOOGLE IS TAKING AI TRAFFIC.$GOOGL Gemini has gone from 5.4% to 18.2% of Gen AI web traffic in 12 months. That is not noise, that is a takeover arc. Nearly +13 points of share in a category that was once considered dominated by OpenAI.
And where is that… pic.twitter.com/xVwlBYTbrX
Trending: Deloitte’s #1 Fastest-Growing Software Company Lets Users Earn Money Just by Scrolling — Accredited Investors Can Still Get In at $0.50/Share.
The driver behind this shift appears to be Google’s mastery of “native distribution.” Unlike standalone competitors, Gemini is increasingly embedded where users already live: inside Chrome, Android, Workspace, and Search.
According to strategist Shay Boloor, this integration is the key differentiator. As AI usage transitions from novelty to routine utility, products with native distribution naturally “capture the flow.”
By surfacing AI answers directly within existing workflows, Google is removing the friction of switching apps, effectively siphoning users who might otherwise navigate to ChatGPT.
$GOOGL Gemini moved from 5% to 18% of GenAI web traffic in a year while ChatGPT dropped from 87% to 68% which to me shows user changing behavior.
Gemini shows up where questions already happen inside Search, Chrome, Android & Workspace so when AI usage becomes routine the… pic.twitter.com/uiPCfkhRY4
