Gemini surges past chatgpt in ai chatbot growth

Google's Gemini is experiencing a meteoric rise, overtaking ChatGPT, Claude, and Grok in website traffic growth as of February 2026. The report, compiled by SimilarWeb, revealed Gemini saw a staggering 643% year-over-year increase in website visits.

Google’s ai chatbot dominates the web

While ChatGPT and Claude remain popular within app stores, Gemini's dominance on the web is undeniable. The chatbot's growth far surpassed its competitors, which saw increases of 480% for xAI’s Grok and 297% for Anthropic’s Claude, respectively. ChatGPT, the long-time leader, registered a modest 39% increase.

The data highlights a significant shift in the AI landscape. The surge in Gemini's popularity is likely fueled by its integration within Google’s ecosystem, including its search engine. This contrasts with DeepSeek, a Chinese chatbot, which experienced a dramatic decline in website traffic – nearly 56%.

It's worth noting that this analysis only considers website traffic and excludes mobile and desktop app usage. It also doesn't factor in the AI summaries integrated into Google search results, which further boosts Gemini's visibility. However, the numbers paint a clear picture of Google’s successful pivot in the AI race.

For many users, the choice between these chatbots is fluid. The seamless integration within Google makes Gemini a natural pick. As for me? I’m using it more frequently than ever.

The rapid ascent of Gemini isn’t just a technological development; it’s a powerful indicator of Google’s commitment to challenging the established order. The company has clearly learned from its earlier struggles and is now aggressively staking its claim in the AI future.