The ChatGPT Effect: How AI Chatbots Changed Information Search in 3 Years

Key Takeaways:

• ChatGPT reached 800 million weekly users by late 2025, becoming a primary information source
• 55% of US consumers now use AI chatbots for tasks they previously used Google search for
• Traditional search engines face declining traffic as “zero-click” searches surge to 69%

In just three years, ChatGPT has fundamentally changed how people search for information online. Millions now start their queries with the AI chatbot rather than traditional search engines, marking a significant shift in digital behavior.

The New Front Door to Information

Since its November 2022 launch, ChatGPT has grown to 800 million weekly users by late 2025, making it one of the most widely used consumer technologies globally. This isn’t just curiosity—surveys confirm a real behavioral shift.

A 2025 Pew Research study found 34% of US adults have used ChatGPT, doubling the 2023 figure. Among adults under 30, a clear majority (58%) have tried it. An AP-NORC poll reveals about 60% of AI users employ it for information searching, rising to 74% for the under-30 demographic.

How Search Behavior Has Changed

Traditional search engines remain the backbone of online information, but ChatGPT has peeled off specific query types. Quick, clarifying questions like “how to reset my router” or “explain the debt ceiling” now often go to ChatGPT first.

A 2025 US consumer survey found 55% of respondents use ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini for tasks they previously used Google search for. Analysis of over 1 billion search sessions shows generative AI platform traffic growing 165 times faster than traditional searches.

About 13 million US adults have made generative AI their primary online discovery tool. ChatGPT delivers faster, more conversational responses that feel more definitive than search engine results pages.

Google’s Response and Zero-Click Searches

Google has integrated its Gemini AI system directly into search results through “AI Overview” summaries. These appear above traditional links and instantly answer many simple questions.

This has contributed to a surge in “zero-click” searches. Similarweb data shows traffic from Google to news sites fell from over 2.3 billion visits in mid-2024 to under 1.7 billion in May 2025. News-related searches ending without clicks jumped from 56% to 69% in one year.

While Google excels at providing multiple sources and perspectives, ChatGPT prioritizes explanation over ranking. Both tools can occasionally provide inaccurate information, requiring user verification.

Impact Beyond Search Engines

The ChatGPT effect extends to other technologies. Smart speaker ownership has slightly declined from 35% in 2023 to 34% in 2025 among people aged 12 and up, suggesting complex queries are shifting to ChatGPT.

YouTube remains massive with 2.74 billion users in 2024, but usage patterns are changing. People now start with ChatGPT for summaries or scripts, then move to YouTube only if they need visual demonstration of physical processes.

Specialized platforms like Stack Overflow have seen significant declines, with traffic falling approximately 50% between 2022 and 2024 as developers turn to AI for code generation and explanations.

The New Digital Landscape

ChatGPT hasn’t replaced the entire technology ecosystem but has reordered it. Search engines remain for deep dives, YouTube for visual demonstrations, and smart speakers for hands-free convenience.

However, when people need to figure something out, many now begin with a chat conversation rather than a search box. This represents the true ChatGPT effect—it didn’t just add another app but fundamentally changed how we approach information retrieval.

Deborah Lee, Professor and Director of Research Impact and AI Strategy, Mississippi State University