CHVEKLY

This post is a short-form summary and interpretation of research originally conducted by SE Ranking. At Chvekly, an AI-driven growth and marketing agency, we’re expanding on their findings to explore what the rise of AI traffic means for businesses preparing for the future of search and generative engine optimization.

Introduction: The Rise of AI Search

Every day, billions of clicks shape how we discover, research, and buy online. Traditionally, these clicks flowed almost entirely through search engines like Google and Bing. But in 2025, that landscape is shifting: AI platforms are emerging as new gateways of web traffic.

The team at SE Ranking set out to answer a fundamental question:

How much traffic are AI platforms driving to websites—and is it valuable compared to organic search?

The short answer: AI traffic is still small in volume but growing fast, and in many cases, it delivers more engaged visitors than traditional search.

This post dives deep into SE Ranking’s findings and adds a Chvekly perspective: why these trends matter, how to prepare for them, and what role generative engine optimization (GEO) plays in staying visible in an AI-driven web.

Key Takeaways at a Glance

• AI traffic = tiny but fast-growing.
  From just 0.02% of global internet traffic in 2024 to 0.15% in 2025—a 7x increase in one year.
• ChatGPT dominates the market.
  Nearly 78% of AI-driven clicks come from ChatGPT.
• Perplexity is gaining traction, especially in the U.S.
  With nearly 20% of U.S. AI traffic, it’s proving itself as a serious player.
• Google’s Gemini lags but shows strong engagement.
  Despite Google’s dominance in search, Gemini accounts for just 6.4% of AI referrals.
• DeepSeek and Claude attract “super-users.”
  Their traffic share is tiny, but session durations are off the charts (Claude’s EU referrals average over an hour per session for some users).
• AI traffic quality > organic traffic quality.
  Visitors from AI platforms spend 68% more time on websites than those from Google search.

The Global AI Traffic Landscape

In 2025, AI platforms drive 0.15% of all internet traffic worldwide. At first glance, that’s minuscule compared to the 48.5% driven by organic search.

But context is everything: in 2024, AI referrals barely registered at 0.02%. Growing sevenfold in just one year makes AI traffic one of the fastest-rising forces in digital visibility.

Put simply: Google still sends 300 times more traffic than all AI platforms combined, but the growth curve for AI is impossible to ignore.

Breakdown: The Top AI Platforms in 2025

1. ChatGPT – The Clear Leader

• Market share: 77.97% of AI referrals.
• Session duration: ~10 minutes.
• Growth: Doubled its internet traffic share from January to April 2025.

ChatGPT is the undisputed heavyweight of AI-driven referrals. Nearly 4 out of every 5 clicks from AI platforms come from ChatGPT.

Its conversational interface has become the default way millions of people “search”—even if they don’t consciously think of it as search.

Marketing takeaway: If your brand isn’t being referenced in ChatGPT results, you’re invisible to a massive and growing share of highly engaged users.

2. Perplexity – Small but Mighty in the U.S.

• Market share: 15.1% globally, ~19.7% in the U.S.
• Session duration: ~9 minutes.
• Growth: Up 25% in just the first four months of 2025.

Perplexity has carved out a loyal audience, particularly in North America. Its minimalist design and concise, high-quality answers resonate with users looking for clarity.

Marketing takeaway: For U.S.-focused brands, optimizing for Perplexity visibility is a smart early move.

3. Gemini – Google’s Slow Starter

• Market share: 6.4%.
• Session duration: ~6–7 minutes (higher than Google Search).
• Growth: Modest, from 0.0087% to 0.0105% in early 2025.

Despite Google’s dominance in traditional search, Gemini hasn’t yet taken off as a traffic driver. But when Gemini does send traffic, engagement is solid.

Marketing takeaway: If Google integrates Gemini more deeply into its results, expect its referral power to spike. GEO strategies should plan ahead for this.

4. DeepSeek – Niche but Highly Engaged

• Market share: 0.37%.
• Session duration: 12–13 minutes.
• User base: Likely technical, academic, or research-driven.

DeepSeek is still tiny, but its users stick around longer than most. With updates like DeepSeek-GRM and Prover-V2, it’s attracting attention in specialized niches.

Marketing takeaway: Niche B2B or technical brands may find high-value opportunities here.

5. Claude – Low Share, Record Engagement

• Market share: 0.17%.
• Session duration: Globally ~19 minutes; in the EU, over 1 hour for some users.
• Growth: Traffic increased sevenfold between January and April 2025.

Claude may not drive much traffic, but its “super-users” engage at levels unmatched by any other platform.

Marketing takeaway: Small numbers, but big potential. If Claude cites your brand, those referrals could become your most engaged visitors.

Regional Differences in AI Traffic

United States

• AI traffic share: 0.13%.
• Platform breakdown: ChatGPT (71%), Perplexity (19.7%), Gemini (8.4%), Claude (0.58%).
• Growth: ChatGPT doubled share in four months; Claude grew 22x.

European Union

• AI traffic share: 0.12%.
• Platform breakdown: ChatGPT (83%), Perplexity (13.8%), Gemini (3%).
• Growth: ChatGPT increased 1.7x in early 2025.

United Kingdom

• AI traffic share: 0.07%.
• Platform breakdown: ChatGPT (84%), Perplexity (10%), Gemini (5.4%).
• Growth: ChatGPT tripled its traffic share in four months.

Marketing takeaway: The U.S. is the most mature AI market, but growth rates in the UK and EU show global momentum.

Is AI Traffic “Better” Than Organic Traffic?

One of SE Ranking’s most striking findings: AI visitors are more engaged than organic visitors.

• AI sessions average 9m 19s, compared to 5m 33s for organic search (+68%).
• Median session durations tell the same story: AI (2m 24s) vs. organic (1m 53s).

Why? Because AI tools filter intent. By the time a user clicks a link from ChatGPT or Perplexity, they’ve already refined their query through a conversational exchange.

In other words: fewer visitors, but the right visitors.

AI-Generated Content Is Changing the Game

Beyond traffic and engagement, another factor shaping this shift is the rise of AI-Generated Content itself. As platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini increasingly provide direct answers, summaries, and even creative outputs, they’re not just sending clicks — they’re reshaping how users consume information online. Businesses must think beyond traditional SEO and start optimizing for visibility within AI-created responses, where credibility, context, and source authority determine whether your brand is cited at all.

What This Means for the Future of Search

1. AI traffic is lean but high-value.
   Don’t expect Google-level volumes yet—but the quality is often higher.
2. Search intent is shifting.
   AI lets users ask for generated outputs (“write,” “compare,” “summarize”)—not just information lookups. This creates new opportunities for brands to show up in context-rich scenarios.
3. Early movers win.
   Visibility in AI platforms is less competitive today than Google SERPs. Brands cited in AI responses now will enjoy a compounding advantage as AI adoption grows.

Enter Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)

At Chvekly, we see this as the dawn of generative engine optimization—a new discipline focused on ensuring your brand is referenced, cited, and linked inside AI-generated results.

Just as SEO evolved for Google’s algorithms, GEO evolves for AI systems like ChatGPT and Perplexity. The tactics differ (optimizing for structured knowledge, authority signals, and contextual relevance), but the goal is the same: visibility in the spaces where your audience is searching.

Conclusion: Preparing for the AI-Driven Web

AI platforms won’t replace Google overnight, but their growth is undeniable. More importantly, the traffic they deliver is highly engaged and often closer to conversion.

For businesses, the next step is clear:

• Monitor your brand’s presence in AI-generated answers.
• Optimize content for AI citations (GEO).
• Move early while competition is still low.

At Chvekly, we help businesses future-proof their digital strategy with AI-driven marketing and generative engine optimization. Because in the age of AI search, being invisible isn’t an option.

Methodology (from SE Ranking’s study)

• Sample size: 63,987 websites across 250 countries.
• Data source: Google Analytics (aggregated and anonymized).
• Platforms analyzed: ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, DeepSeek, Claude.
• Period covered: January–April 2025.
• Metrics measured: Traffic share, growth rates, session durations, regional differences.

Full research credit: SE Ranking’s AI Traffic Study, 2025