OpenAI says the number of ChatGPT queries that result in a web search has reached 20% of Google’s search volume. The statement was made by Adam Fry, OpenAI’s consumer product lead for ChatGPT, at a press event, according to The Verge. The source notes that OpenAI did not specify the basis for Google’s search volume figure, so the comparison should be treated as a company claim rather than an independently verified market measurement.

Even with that caveat, the announcement matters because it reflects a clear business trend: AI-assisted search is becoming a meaningful part of how users find information, compare products and research providers online.

What happened

At a press event, OpenAI said ChatGPT search activity now amounts to one-fifth of Google’s search volume. OpenAI defines a search as a user query that leads ChatGPT to perform a web search, rather than requests such as definitions or simple explanations that can be answered without web retrieval.

The figure does not mean ChatGPT has overtaken traditional search, and it does not on its own prove broader market share changes across all user groups or geographies. However, it does indicate that AI search is no longer a niche behaviour and may be becoming a regular alternative for certain types of queries.

Why it matters for European businesses

For European companies, especially SMEs and e-commerce businesses, the main issue is not whether ChatGPT will replace Google in the near term. The more immediate question is how customer discovery is changing.

If more users begin their research inside AI assistants, businesses may see gradual shifts in:

• Organic visibility: traffic may depend not only on ranking in traditional search engines, but also on whether AI tools can find, interpret and cite company content.
• Content strategy: clear, structured and trustworthy website content may become more important as AI systems summarise information for users.
• Brand competition: AI interfaces may reduce the visibility of smaller ranking differences on search results pages, creating more winner-takes-most outcomes for trusted sources.
• Customer journeys: users may compare vendors, features, pricing and reviews without visiting as many websites directly.
• Measurement challenges: marketing teams may need new ways to track referral patterns, branded demand and conversions influenced by AI-assisted discovery.

This is particularly relevant in Europe, where many businesses still depend heavily on search visibility for lead generation, international discoverability and e-commerce sales.

Who may be affected

The impact is likely to be strongest for businesses that rely on information-rich discovery or comparison-based buying journeys.

• SMEs: companies that depend on organic search for local or cross-border leads may need to review whether their websites are easily understood by AI-driven search tools.
• E-commerce companies: product discovery and comparison behaviour may increasingly happen inside AI interfaces before a shopper reaches a product page.
• Marketing teams: SEO, content and brand teams may need to adapt content for both traditional search engines and AI assistants.
• IT and web teams: site structure, crawlability, page speed and clean metadata remain important if businesses want their content to be accessible to search systems and AI tools.
• Founders and commercial leaders: changes in discovery can affect acquisition costs, channel mix and long-term dependence on external platforms.

What companies should consider

Although the source does not provide new platform rules or technical standards, businesses can already take practical steps based on the broader shift toward AI-assisted search.

• Review content quality: make key pages clear, factual and up to date, especially product, service, pricing, support and company information.
• Strengthen structured information: ensure websites use consistent headings, descriptive page titles and well-organised content that machines can interpret reliably.
• Monitor traffic sources: watch for changes in search behaviour, branded searches and referral traffic patterns as AI discovery grows.
• Invest in authority signals: case studies, expert content, customer proof and transparent company details may help businesses remain visible when AI systems summarise the market.
• Avoid overdependence on one channel: companies that rely almost entirely on Google search may want to diversify across email, direct traffic, marketplaces, partnerships and paid acquisition.
• Test AI search visibility: marketing teams should check how their products, services and brand appear in AI assistants and identify gaps or inaccuracies.

For now, OpenAI’s 20% claim should be read cautiously because the comparison methodology was not fully disclosed in the source. But the strategic takeaway is clear: AI search is becoming significant enough that European businesses should treat it as an emerging channel for visibility, reputation and demand generation rather than a future possibility.