OpenAI’s launch of ChatGPT Atlas last week could mark one of the biggest shifts in how we use the internet since the introduction of Google.
Atlas isn’t just another AI feature but an AI-powered browser built with ChatGPT at its core. It blends research, browsing, and productivity into one intelligent workspace. No more jumping between tabs or prompts, your browser now thinks alongside you.
That alone is a groundbreaking advancement, but what’s really interesting is what it means for the future of traditional search.
According to Gartner, we’re on track to see a 50% reduction in traditional search traffic by 2028, while Google searches that lead to zero clicks are expected to rise by 58% as Google begins to shift from showing links to giving answers. With AI Mode, Overviews and Gemini, users get what they need directly on the results page without ever clicking through to a website.
Combine that with usage trends:
- There are now over 800 million people using ChatGPT weekly.
- ChatGPT now receives 618 million monthly Google searches globally, nearly rivaling that of Facebook which ranks 2nd behind just Youtube.
- ChatGPT now commands 9% of online search queries, a significant share for a platform that emerged only recently.
These numbers tell a clear story that AI isn’t just changing how we search but changing where search happens.
For us in paid media and performance marketing, this shift is seismic. If users start relying on AI-native tools for answers, how does Google retain its dominance? More importantly, what does this mean for how we measure, target, and optimise campaigns in a world where “search” may no longer mean a search engine?
As an agency, this is the time to experiment, not wait. It’s also about rethinking our content and search strategies, making sure our brands remain discoverable in conversational AI ecosystems, not just SERPs.
Whether ChatGPT Atlas can truly challenge Google Chrome (with its 3 billion users) remains to be seen. However, it signals the start of a major shift in how paid media operates, where ads appear, and how users are reached, measured and converted.
