March 14, 2026 — A Graphite.io study published this week reports that AI assistants like ChatGPT and Gemini now generate 45 billion monthly sessions worldwide, equivalent to AI Assistants Now Account for 56% of Global Search Volume. In the U.S., AI sessions total 5.4 billion monthly, or 34% of search volume.
The analysis by Graphite.io CEO Ethan Smith combines web traffic and mobile app data for top AI tools—ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Grok, and Claude—against major search engines including Google and Bing. It highlights that 83% of global AI usage occurs via mobile apps, with ChatGPT holding 89% market share of AI sessions.
Key Statistics from the Study
AI now receives 45B monthly sessions worldwide, and 5.4B monthly visits in the US. Monthly sessions of AI are now 56% the size of search worldwide and 34% in the US.
Search-like prompts on AI represent 28% of global search volume and 17% in the U.S. Total search activity, including AI, has grown 26% worldwide since 2023.
Widespread Media Coverage
The findings gained traction starting March 9, with Search Engine Land headlining “AI Assistants Now Account for 56% of Global Search Volume” in coverage by Danny Goodwin. Performance Marketing World (March 10) noted AI usage growing quicker than estimated.
ALM Corp directly cited the study, echoing AI Assistants Now Account for 56% of Global Search Volume. Similar headlines appeared in Innermedia, Lazysoft, Inbenta, and MSN.
Ignite Visibility (March 13) summarized: A new Graphite.io study reveals that AI assistants like ChatGPT and Gemini handle 56% of worldwide search volume (45 billion monthly sessions globally, 34% in the U.S.), signaling a massive shift in digital marketing and SEO strategies.
Expert Reactions
Graphite CEO Ethan Smith shared on X: emphasizing AI’s understated scale with 45B global sessions. Newsletters like TLDR AI and The Playbook covered the 45B sessions and ChatGPT dominance. SEO expert Josh Grant discussed implications on LinkedIn.
The study underscores AI Assistants Now Account for 56% of Global Search Volume, prompting calls to integrate AI optimization into SEO. For related SEO insights, see SEO Spyglass posts.