Graphite study says ChatGPT accounts for over 81% of global major AI chatbot traffic
A study by research and growth marketing company Graphite, based on Similarweb data, shows that as of September 2026, ChatGPT accounted for more than 81.2% of global major AI chatbot session traffic, with no competitor holding more than a 10% market share. After ChatGPT usage surged in the first half of 2025, it stagnated for about seven months from July 2025 to around June 2026, then resumed growth this year, with September monthly visits rising nearly 20% to a record 61.35 billion.
The study said Claude and Gemini grew rapidly over the past year (Claude up about 1,901% year on year), but from a low base. Monthly visits to major global AI services (the top six models) reached 76 billion, up 37% year on year; the United States accounted for only 8.8% of global AI traffic. Google AI Overviews appeared in 62% of U.S. search results. Graphite CEO Ethan Smith led the study.
Original source:
Title: ChatGPT's Growth Rebounds As Claude and Gemini Trail Behind Publisher: Business Insider Publication date: 2026-11-09 URL: https://www.businessinsider.com/chatgpt-growth-rebounds-openai-rivals-ai-market-share-2026-11 Nature of source: media report (relaying Graphite's study based on Similarweb data) Verification status: the full text was actually read this time, verification date 2026-11-09, no access restrictions Supporting content: supports ChatGPT's share exceeding 81%, no competitor exceeding 10%, about seven months of stagnation before September reached 61.35 billion, global major AI services at 76 billion (+37%), the U.S. at 8.8%, Google AI Overviews appearing in 62% of U.S. search results, and Claude/Gemini's rapid growth from a low base
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Graphite's data covers web and mobile app sessions, rather than only web visits. In September 2026, ChatGPT recorded 61.351 billion sessions, accounting for 81.2% of the roughly 76 billion sessions combined across the top six models (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Grok, Perplexity, DeepSeek). In the same period, Claude rose from 272 million sessions in September 2025 to 5.436 billion, and Gemini from 1.318 billion to 3.718 billion, but the two together still accounted for less than 15% of ChatGPT.
ChatGPT session volume reached about 53 billion in July 2025 and then entered a plateau, remaining around 53 billion through June 2026, before rebounding for three consecutive months and reaching a record in September. Over the same period, its global market share rose back from 80.42% in June to 81.2% in September. OpenAI had previously disclosed that ChatGPT had 1.2 billion weekly active users, which is consistent with the direction of the session data, but there are differences in deduplication methods between public disclosures and third-party estimates.
The United States contributed only 8.8% of global AI sessions, meaning more than 90% of usage occurred in other regions. Google AI Overviews appeared in 62% of U.S. search results, and AI Mode recorded 491 million U.S. web visits in August 2026, exceeding Gemini's U.S. visits in the same period. Global AI referral traffic grew 92% over the past year, with ChatGPT contributing 60%.
The study was completed by Graphite, which provides SEO and AEO services, based on Similarweb data, and the session statistics do not include desktop apps. Compared with the share of pure web traffic (Similarweb shows ChatGPT web visits at about 56%), the share including apps is significantly higher, because 86% of global AI usage occurs within apps. Observable follow-up indicators include whether ChatGPT's share can hold up amid sustained high growth from Claude and Gemini, and how search traffic changes after Google further integrates AI Overviews and AI Mode.
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After including app sessions, ChatGPT's global share reached over 81%, significantly higher than the share when only web visits are counted.
The U.S. accounts for only 8.8% of global AI traffic, showing that AI usage has become highly globalized rather than concentrated in the technology's country of origin.