Google and ChatGPT Coexist as Search Behaviors Evolve
A new study from Bocconi University found that households who gained access to ChatGPT Search reduced their traditional search queries by 9.4% after three weeks, with this decline increasing over time.
This decrease is attributed to the use of AI features in Google, which are being added to search rather than replacing it, according to Similarweb's data showing a 95% overlap between ChatGPT users and Google's audience.
The Bocconi study used Comscore's U.S. desktop clickstream data from October 2024 to July 2025 and compared households that gained access to ChatGPT Search with similar households that had no prior activity.
Results showed that logged-in ChatGPT users who accessed the search feature in December 2024 experienced a smaller decline of 4.9% in traditional search queries, while anonymous users who gained access in February 2025 saw an 8.2% decrease after 20 weeks.