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OpenAI and its flagship product, ChatGPT, have been expanding rapidly since launching nearly three years ago. CEO Sam Altman has been open about his ambition to make ChatGPT as universally used and essential as Google, an everyday tool that’s easily available everywhere.
Altman has long positioned himself as a leading voice in AI optimism and mass adoption. This was further reflected in a recent blog post titled “The Gentle Singularity,” where he discussed AI’s transformative role in the future. He argued that ChatGPT is already more capable than any individual in history, noting that hundreds of millions of people rely on it daily, often for increasingly complex or critical tasks.
Recent data obtained by Axios supports Altman’s bold claims. According to an internal presentation, ChatGPT now receives an estimated 5.5 billion visits per month, far outpacing competitors like xAI’s Grok (about 180 million) and Anthropic’s Claude (around 100 million). While it’s important to note that Claude is more business-oriented and Grok is relatively new, the gap in reach is still striking. The same report shows ChatGPT leading on mobile usage as well, reinforcing the idea that its growth is accelerating faster than any other AI tool in the market.
These developments come as people increasingly turn to AI for tasks they once relied on Google for. A study published in February showed that users are moving away from traditional search engines in favor of AI tools, which often provide faster, more context-aware responses.
In a surprising twist, OpenAI has even partnered with Google on certain initiatives, highlighting the complex dynamics at play. Meanwhile, ChatGPT is now powering features in Apple’s Siri, as Apple struggles to develop a more advanced AI assistant internally.
OpenAI’s broader strategy seems clear: build an ecosystem that keeps users engaged and dependent, similar to how Google and Apple built their user bases. This means integrating ChatGPT more deeply into daily digital routines, potentially replacing search engines and virtual assistants entirely.
Of course, Google is not standing still. Its Gemini AI continues to evolve and is being integrated into a wide range of Google products, from Android devices to upcoming smart glasses and wearables. Despite facing antitrust challenges, Google still has the advantage of scale and distribution.
In short, ChatGPT is rapidly moving from a helpful chatbot to a central tool in how people search, think, and work online. If current trends continue, it may soon stand shoulder-to-shoulder with, or even above, Google in shaping the digital experience.