AI Traffic Is Rising - But It’s Not Replacing Search (Yet)

The Shift Beneath the Surface

AI-driven web traffic is growing rapidly, but it’s still just a small slice of the digital pie. Despite headlines touting the rise of tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity, the reality is more nuanced. While these platforms are indeed sending more visitors to websites, their impact hasn’t yet reached the scale of traditional search engines like Google. Still, the growth trend is worth watching - and acting on.

At Theia Media, we’ve been tracking this shift carefully to help businesses understand how to prepare for an AI-driven future, without losing sight of the present.

A Year of Growth: AI Traffic Has Multiplied

In the past year, AI traffic to websites has increased by nearly 10x. That might sound explosive - and in many ways, it is. But when you zoom out, AI referrals still account for just 0.25% of total website traffic on average.

Compare that to search engines like Google, which still dominate as the top referrer, making up nearly 40% of all referral traffic. While that share has dipped slightly over the past year, it’s clear that traditional search continues to hold the lion’s share of user journeys.

The takeaway? AI is growing fast, but it’s still a fraction of what search provides. However, it’s the nature of this growth - and where it’s coming from - that makes it worth watching.

ChatGPT Is Leading the AI Referral Charge

Among all AI platforms, ChatGPT has emerged as the clear leader in sending traffic to websites. In fact, since the start of the year, ChatGPT referral traffic has grown by more than 85%.

What’s even more interesting is that ChatGPT now sends more traffic than Reddit and LinkedIn. While neither platform is known for high outbound click rates, this shift marks an important milestone. It indicates that AI chat tools are becoming more useful for discovery - and that users are increasingly open to following links from these platforms.

Today, over 80% of all AI referral traffic comes from ChatGPT alone.

Other platforms like Microsoft Copilot and Google’s Gemini trail behind but are still contributing. Copilot in particular has rebounded after a referral outage earlier in the year and now drives more AI traffic than Gemini.

But AI Traffic Still Isn’t Search

Despite this rapid growth, AI traffic is not poised to replace search anytime soon. Google still sends more than 200 times the traffic of ChatGPT, and the gap—while narrowing—remains significant.

One reason is structural: AI platforms aim to answer users’ questions directly, often within the interface itself. This “zero-click” behavior is built into their design. So while AI tools may increase brand awareness or offer qualified leads, they are unlikely to become a major traffic source for most websites in the way Google Search has been.

Another factor is attribution. Many AI platforms strip referral data, making it harder to track AI-generated traffic accurately. This means the actual numbers may be higher than analytics platforms can currently show - but not dramatically so.

Search Traffic Is Declining, but Don’t Count It Out

Data shows that overall search traffic has dropped by roughly 21% in the past year. While some of that decline can be attributed to AI Overviews and AI Mode (features built into traditional search engines), it’s a reminder that user behavior is shifting.

Still, Google remains the undisputed king of traffic referrals, and it’s unlikely AI will dethrone it anytime soon. That’s why businesses should continue investing in SEO while keeping an eye on emerging AI channels.

To quote digital strategist Glenn Gabe:

“I think site owners run the risk of missing the forest for the trees by heavily focusing on AI search right now and ignoring Google Search… Google still drives the most traffic to sites by a mile.”

What This Means for Your Business

AI-generated traffic may not yet be a game-changer in volume, but it can still be high-quality. Some businesses are reporting conversion rates of over 10% from AI platforms - making it one of the most efficient traffic sources per visit.

For brands, this opens up new strategic considerations:

• Focus on building presence in platforms like ChatGPT, where AI referrals are strongest.
• Treat AI traffic as part of a broader visibility strategy, not a primary acquisition channel.
• Continue prioritizing traditional search optimization—it’s still where most users are.

As AI continues to evolve and platforms become more integrated into daily search behavior, the balance may shift further. But for now, AI remains a promising complement to - not a replacement for - your existing digital traffic strategies.

Final Thoughts

AI referral traffic is growing, but it’s not ready to take over. The data tells a story of slow but meaningful change. ChatGPT and other platforms are driving more discovery, but they’re not replacing the foundational role of search engines.

If you’re running a business or managing a brand, the best strategy right now is to maintain your search presence while experimenting with ways to gain exposure in AI-driven environments.

The future of traffic is hybrid - part AI, part search, all strategy.