• Source:JND
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A year ago, ChatGPT didn’t just lead the market — it dominated it with 86.6% of all generative-AI web traffic. Everyone else was basically fighting for crumbs.

Today, that figure stands at 72.3% - still an enormous chunk and clearly the No. 1, yet its direction of travel cannot be denied.

That missing ~14% didn’t disappear. It shifted — and most of it is going to one place.

Gemini is the only true climber in the pack

Gemini started at just 5.6% traffic share. Nothing impressive on paper.

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Then over twelve months, it kept doing the one thing rivals haven’t been able to: posting steady, consistent growth every single period.

- 6 months ago: 5.9%

- 3 months ago: 8.6%

- 2 months ago: 12.9%

- Now:13.7%

No spikes. No collapses. Just a clean upward curve.

The only other model to briefly challenge Google was DeepSeek, which shot up fast… and then fell just as quickly — from 6.1% to 3.9% once the hype cooled.

Gemini relied not on hype but instead on product updates, speed, speed of integration into Google's ecosystem, and the fact that a billion people already use Search, Docs, Android, and Chrome.

That’s the difference between a trend and a trajectory.

Why Gemini is taking share even as ChatGPT remains dominant

Let’s break down what’s really happening underneath the numbers:

1. Distribution

Gemini lives inside Google Search, YouTube, Gmail, Maps, and Android.

Every new integration funnels everyday users toward Gemini by default.

ChatGPT doesn’t have that kind of system-level reach yet.

2. The “good enough” factor

For a huge chunk of users, Gemini doesn't need to beat ChatGPT — it just needs to be good enough for daily tasks.

And Google has been improving the model rapidly.

3. Consistency over volatility

DeepSeek and Perplexity had bursts of attention. Gemini had sustained adoption.

That matters more in the long run.

4. The mobile advantage

Gemini ships on Android devices across the world.

ChatGPT’s mobile footprint is growing, but it isn’t preinstalled on anything.

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So what now?

Two things can be true at once:

- ChatGPT is still the market leader by a wide margin.

- Gemini is the only real challenger with momentum that hasn’t stalled once.

Google doubling its traffic share in a year is not trivial. It signals a long game — one where AI is baked into every Google product, not something people visit as a separate destination.

If the current trend continues into 2026, ChatGPT will still lead… but it won’t be alone at the top anymore.

And that’s the first time in three years that statement has felt true.

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