OpenAI Says ChatGPT Is at 20% of Google Search Volume

OpenAI Consumer Product Lead Adam Fry said ChatGPT’s volume of search-like queries is now roughly one-fifth the volume of queries of Google. The claim was made by OpenAI Consumer Product Lead Adam Fry on November 3, 2026, according to Search Engine Roundtable. It describes search-like queries, not overall search-engine market share, and no independent verification was reported.

Verified Claim and Caveats

Adam Fry said ChatGPT’s volume of search-like queries is now roughly one-fifth the volume of queries of Google. That is the basis for the 20% figure. Fry defined a search as every time a user asks a question and goes to search the web.

The metric therefore does not cover every question submitted to ChatGPT. It also does not mean ChatGPT controls 20% of the search market. The figures compare an OpenAI product’s search-like query volume with Google’s query volume, and they were not independently verified.

Several related figures came from Fry or OpenAI:

• Fry said ChatGPT had grown from 1 billion to 1.2 billion weekly active users in the prior two months.
• He described an estimated 100 million users in one 30-day period and another 100 million in the following period.
• The reported voice figure of 250 million weekly users came from OpenAI, according to The Mac Observer.
• The cited 5% figure for Bing was described as search share by Alex Kantrowitz in a post reproduced by Search Engine Roundtable.

Business owners should review business information to make sure it is current, consistent and easy to find.

Why Users Seek Current Information in ChatGPT

Fry said users have broadened the subjects they ask ChatGPT about. Questions about a person, group, place or thing often require current information. Finance and health questions also prompt web searches because users want factual answers that reflect the latest information.

Business owners should consider the information customers may need when asking about a business, such as its services, policies, contact details and availability. Review each type of business fact separately and keep relevant website and listing information consistent.

The broader use of AI for information searches has outside support. A Pew Research Center report from June 2026 found that searching for information was the leading reported use of AI chatbots among surveyed American adults. The report said 42% of American adults had used AI to search for information, compared with 38% of employed adults who had used it for work tasks. That survey covered AI use generally rather than ChatGPT search volume alone, so it does not verify the OpenAI metric.

What the Comparison Does Not Prove

The 20% figure should be considered in the context of Fry’s definition of a search before drawing broader conclusions from it.

The Bing comparison also needs separate treatment. A cited 5% search share and ChatGPT’s search-like query volume are different measures. One describes a share of a search market, while the other compares a query count with another product. They should not be presented as interchangeable.

There is one crawler control businesses can verify directly. OpenAI’s crawler documentation states that Sites that are opted out of OAI-SearchBot will not be shown in ChatGPT search answers, though can still appear as navigational links. The documentation also says a robots.txt change can take about 24 hours for OpenAI’s systems to adjust.

Business Visibility Checklist

Business owners can improve the information available for AI answers by reviewing each type of business fact separately. Keep a useful record of each fact, where it appears, who owns the information and when it will be checked again.

1. Core business identity. Check that the official business name, services and service area are stated plainly on the main website and relevant business listings. Record the person responsible for each source and set a review date tied to changes to the business.
2. Contact and location details. Compare the address, phone number, contact links and location description across the website and directory profiles that matter to customers. Assign the owner of the contact record and schedule a date to verify it after any move, number change or office update.
3. Hours and service availability. Check whether opening hours, temporary closures, appointment availability and service restrictions are current wherever customers see them. Record who can confirm availability and how often that person checks the published hours.
4. People and leadership. Review names, roles and biographical details for leaders and key contacts. Give the website or business owner responsibility for keeping those pages aligned, and set a review date for personnel changes.
5. Policies. Compare policies for payments, refunds, cancellations, privacy and service terms across the website and other published sources. Identify the policy owner and record the next review date so a change does not remain on only one page.
6. Frequently asked questions. Make sure common customer questions receive direct answers supported by current facts rather than vague promotional language. Record the source of each answer and the employee who will update it when the service, policy or contact information changes.

Tools for Reviewing Visibility

SEOScanPro provides comprehensive website SEO audits, including a local SEO audit and an on-page analysis. BizScoreAI also provides AI Audit and AI Scan tools that test how an AI agent encounters a website and report what it finds.

FAQ

How Much Search Volume Does ChatGPT Have Compared With Google?

OpenAI Consumer Product Lead Adam Fry said ChatGPT’s volume of search-like queries is roughly one-fifth the volume of Google’s, or about 20%.

How Many Weekly Users Does ChatGPT Have?

Fry said ChatGPT had grown from 1 billion to 1.2 billion weekly active users over the previous two months. He also described an estimated 100 million users in one 30-day period and another 100 million during the following period.

Does ChatGPT Use Web Search for Every Question?

No. According to The Mac Observer, the team counted a search as any user question that requires the system to pull live information from the web.

Related coverage

• Google AI Search Is Linking to Source Websites Again, Here’s What Changed – BizScoreAI
• Google’s AI Search Guide Isn’t Reassuring. It’s a Warning About Generic Content – BizScoreAI
• Google AI Mode vs AI Overviews: Study Reveals Divergent Search Behavior – BizScoreAI

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