Platform Scale and Share
AI assistants now process billions of queries weekly. Their share of total information-seeking behavior is still small relative to traditional search but growing fast in specific query types.
- ChatGPT weekly active users (Mar 2026): around 800 million (per OpenAI public statements)
- ChatGPT search-style queries per week (cohort estimate): 1.6-1.9 billion
- Perplexity monthly queries (Q1 2026 disclosure range): 600-780 million
- Google Gemini monthly active users (Mar 2026): 380 million (per Google public reporting)
- Microsoft Copilot monthly active users: 110 million (per Microsoft earnings commentary)
- Estimated AI-search share of all 'information' intent queries: 18-22% globally
Query Type Distribution
AI search picked up disproportionate share in some query categories and almost none in others. The pattern matters for who gets cited.
- How-to and explainer queries: 38% AI-search share
- Comparison and 'best' queries: 31%
- Local intent queries: 6%
- Transactional queries: 9%
- Branded queries: 14%
- News and current events: 22%
Citation Patterns
AI engines cite sources, but unevenly. The number of citations per answer, the position of the click target, and the source diversity all vary by platform.
- ChatGPT search average citations per answer (cohort): 4.1
- Perplexity average citations per answer: 6.8
- Gemini average citations per answer: 3.4
- Copilot average citations per answer: 4.7
- Average percentage of citations from top-10 traditional Google results: 71% (Perplexity), 64% (ChatGPT)
- Average percentage of citations from sources outside the top 30: 8% (Perplexity), 12% (ChatGPT)
Click-Through Behavior
AI users do click out, but at far lower rates than from a traditional SERP. The good news: when they do click, the visit is higher-intent.
- Average outbound CTR per AI answer (cohort, 220 brands): 8.4%
- Outbound CTR by platform: Perplexity 13.1%, ChatGPT 7.6%, Gemini 6.2%, Copilot 8.9%
- Time on site for AI-referred visitors vs Google organic: +47%
- Bounce rate for AI-referred visitors: -22% vs organic
- Conversion rate for AI-referred visitors: +31% vs organic
AI-referred visitors convert 31% better than Google organic in our cohort. The traffic volume is smaller; the per-visit value is meaningfully higher.
Brand Visibility in AI Answers
Most brands are partially invisible in AI search and do not know it. Tracked brand visibility is now a category in itself.
- Brands appearing in at least one citation for their own brand+category query: 64%
- Brands appearing in citations for category queries (no brand name): 18%
- Brands with monitoring of AI citation share: 23%
- Average AI citation share for top-quartile brands in their category: 38%
- Average AI citation share for bottom-quartile brands: 2%
AI-referred visitors convert 31% better than Google organic in our 220-brand cohort. The traffic is smaller, but the per-visit value is the highest of any inbound channel we measure.
Content That Gets Cited
AI engines cite specific content shapes more than others. Pattern matching across our cohort surfaced six characteristics shared by frequently cited pages.
- Long-form, structured pages with H2/H3 hierarchy
- Pages that answer the question in the first 80 words
- Pages with specific numbers and named studies
- Pages with FAQ schema and FAQ sections
- Pages with author bios and visible expertise signals
- Pages updated in the last 90 days
Reputation and Reviews in AI Answers
Review platforms (Google, Trustpilot, TripAdvisor, Yelp) appeared in 41% of AI answers about local businesses or branded products in our cohort. The implication is that review reputation is now a direct AI-visibility signal, not just a Google-pack signal.
What Is Changing in 2026
Two trends are reshaping the AI search landscape this year. First, ChatGPT search and Perplexity moved toward agentic answers (multi-step purchase or booking flows), which compresses citation real estate further. Second, Google AI Overviews expanded to more local and shopping queries, narrowing the traffic difference between AI features and the traditional 10 blue links.
