In a revealing new study by SEO consultancy firm OneLittleWeb, it was discovered that AI chatbots, despite their growing popularity, are still far behind traditional search engines in terms of user engagement. According to the study, which analyzed web traffic between April 2023 and March 2025, AI chatbots accounted for only 2.96% of global search traffic in 2024. This figure is starkly contrasted with the massive traffic seen by established search engines like Google and Bing, which together saw 24 times more daily visits than AI chatbots.
The findings indicate that while AI chatbots have become an increasingly popular tool for users seeking information online, they are still far from replacing traditional search engines. Google Search, for example, continues to dominate the landscape, with its vast database and search algorithms that have been perfected over the years. The study highlights how search engines, due to their advanced indexing and ranking systems, are still the preferred method for users looking for detailed, diverse search results.
AI chatbots, which include platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity, are designed to provide direct, conversational answers to queries. However, despite their convenience and impressive capabilities in handling specific queries, they still have limitations compared to the vast resources of traditional search engines. The study’s authors noted that AI chatbots excel in specific tasks but often struggle with more complex search queries that require a wider range of resources.
The research also pointed out that AI chatbots are primarily used for tasks that involve a quick answer or a conversational interface, rather than for in-depth searches. As AI technology continues to evolve, it remains to be seen how the gap between AI chatbots and search engines will narrow, but for now, traditional search engines maintain a commanding lead in driving web traffic.
In conclusion, while AI chatbots are making strides in shaping the future of digital search, traditional search engines remain the dominant force in online information retrieval, at least for the foreseeable future.
