AI transforms the way of searching online: ChatGPT already surpasses Bing and Yahoo

According to the study by Semrush and Datos “The Current AI Landscape”, which is based on 15 months of web behavior data in the United States, ChatGPT now captures a 28.26% share of desktop users, surpassing both Bing and Yahoo. This growth has enabled it to maintain a significant lead over its main competitors in the field of artificial intelligence: Gemini (4.99%) and Deepseek (3.71%). In any case, all of these remain far behind the figures achieved by the omnipresent Google.

Generative AI platforms lead in usage time

According to the study (and as was to be expected), platforms based on generative artificial intelligence are leading the growth both in sessions per user (+74.86%) and in usage time (+101%). ChatGPT, in particular, has increased its average monthly time by 39 minutes per user (+118%), a figure that is proportionally surpassed only by Claude (+36 minutes, +299%).

Fernando Angulo, Senior Marketer Research Manager at Semrush, highlights the magnitude of this change: “We are at a turning point. Search is no longer about getting ten links, but about obtaining a useful answer. Artificial intelligence is changing what is displayed, how it is displayed, and why.”

The great revolution of AI Mode

In response to this evolution, Google has launched AI Mode in the United States, a new conversational search mode powered by generative artificial intelligence. Another report by Semrush, “How Google’s AI Mode Compares to Traditional Search and Other LLMs,” which analyzed 5,000 queries, reveals that in 92% of cases, AI Mode presents responses with a sidebar of links, displaying an average of 7 unique domains—a format more closely aligned with ChatGPT than with Google’s previous AI Overviews. Surprisingly, only 7% of searches in AI Mode show traditional links beneath the answer, and this occurs almost exclusively with navigational searches.

A key finding is that AI Mode cites sources different from the traditional organic results. The overlap with the top 10 results of traditional Google search is only 35% at the URL level.

AI likes Reddit

The Semrush study also highlights that platforms of user-generated content (UGC) such as Reddit, YouTube, and Facebook are becoming the preferred sources for AI-based search engines. In the case of AI Mode, they appear as sources in more than 68% of answers that include links. Even domains that have not traditionally ranked highly on Google are gaining visibility in the citations of LLMs due to the quality of their documentation and semantic structure.

Implications for SEO in the age of AI

While domains with a strong ranking on Google still have a higher probability of appearing in AI responses, they do not necessarily do so from the same URLs; LLMs often cite deeper pages, technical articles, or specialized forums. The report also observes an interesting correlation: the more commercial or transactional intent a query has, the longer and more detailed the response generated by artificial intelligence.

Despite this rise of artificial intelligence, traditional search engines such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, and DuckDuckGo maintain a stable user base. Artificial intelligence does not seem to be replacing traditional search, but rather complementing it. “Artificial intelligence does not eliminate SEO, but it certainly transforms it. A new discipline is born: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)”, concludes Fernando Angulo. In this regard, Semrush offers six key recommendations for brands and professionals to maintain their relevance in this new era of AI-driven search, where the answer precedes the click and the ability to be cited is fundamental:

• Align content with search intent: Provide clarity in information and depth in commercial content.
• Optimize presence on Reddit, YouTube, and UGC platforms: As mentioned above, these platforms are increasingly referenced by AI engines.
• Create helpful, well-structured, and easily citable documentation: Clear and semantically rich content facilitates its incorporation by artificial intelligence systems.
• Monitor mentions in AI-generated responses: It is crucial to know when and how AI platforms are citing your brand.
• Do not neglect organic positioning: It remains the foundation for appearing in the new search environments.
• Leverage specialized analysis tools: Semrush recommends solutions such as AI Optimization (AIO) for auditing your brand’s presence in AI-based search engines, comparing with competitors, and improving your content strategy and brand perception.