Understanding the Relationship Between AI Search and Google: Channel Overlap, Not Replacement
Business leaders frequently ask whether AI-powered search tools, like ChatGPT, are diverting customers away from Google. This question has gained urgency as AI technologies increasingly influence how consumers discover products and services online. Recent data from Similarweb sheds light on this dynamic, revealing significant overlap between users of ChatGPT.com and Google.com. However, interpreting these figures requires nuance and a clear understanding of modern customer discovery journeys.
In September, 93.7% of visitors to ChatGPT.com also visited Google.com, while 14.1% of Google.com visitors also accessed ChatGPT.com. This data, reported by Search Engine Watch, highlights channel overlap rather than a direct channel substitution. It’s important to note that this metric counts unique visitors to both sites within a month but doesn’t indicate which platform they used first, the frequency or nature of their searches, or any purchase behavior resulting from these visits. Additionally, app usage for these services isn’t captured in this data.
One Customer, Multiple Discovery Paths
Traditional marketing often compartmentalizes customer discovery into distinct channels such as search, social media, referrals, and paid media. However, AI assistants blur these boundaries. A typical customer journey might involve querying an AI assistant for product comparisons, searching a brand on Google, viewing a creator’s review, and finally visiting the company’s website. This multi-touch journey spans several platforms, complicating attribution models.
The Similarweb data underscores why AI and Google users should not be seen as separate audiences. Treating them as entirely distinct can lead to double-counting, inflated audience reach estimates, and skewed marketing budgets. This echoes past misconceptions from the early days of SEO, where search was viewed as an isolated tactic rather than an integral part of existing demand infrastructure.
Today, the risk is reversed: assuming AI search will replace Google search altogether. Instead, companies should focus on ensuring their brands are visible, accurate, and credible across all discovery channels where customers engage.
Visibility Doesn’t Equal Conversion
The overlap between AI and Google visits also highlights challenges in measuring the true impact of these channels. For instance, a customer might first encounter a brand through an AI-generated answer, then later perform a branded search on Google. That later Google visit might register as organic traffic, even though the initial AI interaction played a critical role in creating demand. Alternatively, the AI interaction may never lead to a measurable website visit, rendering traditional last-click attribution incomplete.
Last-click attribution models often fail to capture the full customer journey, especially in the emerging AI search landscape. Recognizing this, Google has introduced the Search Console generative AI performance report, which provides insights into how pages perform within Google’s AI search features. While this offers valuable visibility data, it does not track incremental traffic or revenue and does not include data from external AI platforms like ChatGPT.
Businesses should adopt a multi-faceted approach to measurement: track traditional search clicks, monitor branded searches, analyze qualified leads and conversions, and assess AI visibility across platforms. Incorporating direct customer feedback—such as adding “Where did you first hear about us?” questions to lead forms or surveys—can provide additional context. While no single metric conclusively attributes sales to AI search, combining these signals can reveal patterns that last-click reports overlook.
Integrating AI and Google Into a Unified Discovery Strategy
Rather than dividing marketing budgets between Google and AI platforms as competing channels, companies should develop a unified discovery strategy. Recognize that customers often use multiple platforms throughout their decision-making process, and ensure your brand presence is comprehensive and consistent.
Continued investment in SEO remains vital—keeping product pages, pricing information, and value propositions up-to-date helps customers find and evaluate your offerings. Equally, extend this rigor to AI discovery by verifying that AI answer engines accurately represent your business, cite credible sources, and include your brand when customers explore options.
Cross-functional collaboration between SEO, content, and analytics teams is essential. If SEO reports a decline in clicks but AI visibility increases, avoid framing this as a win-lose scenario. Instead, review broader metrics such as branded search volume, lead quality, direct traffic, and conversion trends. Listening to customer feedback and analyzing data over extended periods will provide a more accurate picture of how these channels interact.
The 93.7% overlap figure should not be interpreted as evidence that Google’s dominance is unthreatened or that AI search is merely a benign addition. Rather, it highlights that customers are expanding their discovery toolkit without abandoning established habits. Companies that recognize and adapt to this complexity will make better-informed decisions and optimize their marketing efforts accordingly.
Your customers may first meet your brand through an AI-generated answer, then turn to Google before making a purchase. Understanding and optimizing for both moments in the customer journey will distinguish companies in today’s evolving search landscape.
Key Takeaways
- 93.7% of ChatGPT visitors also visited Google, and 14.1% of Google’s visitors also visited ChatGPT.com. This should be understood as channel overlap, not a replacement.
- Businesses shouldn’t rely solely on last-click attribution. Tracking AI visibility, branded searches, qualified leads, and conversions provides a more holistic view of customer discovery.
- Instead of viewing Google and AI as competitors, companies should ensure their brand is visible, accurate, and credible across both platforms.
