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There's not a lot of reliable data on usage, and it does vary from audience to audience. I like using SparkToro for analyzing whether my clients' are actively shifting away from Google and finding a new home on LLM-based search platforms. I find the FirstPageSage's reports to be super interesting so here's the latest one.
But first...
What is an AI search engine?
An AI search engine uses artificial intelligence to understand queries, rank results, and generate answers based on relevance and context. It goes beyond keyword matching by analyzing intent, semantics, and user behavior to deliver more accurate and personalized results than traditional search engines.
The current AI search engine landscape
The AI search engine market in 2025 has become increasingly competitive, with established tech giants and innovative startups vying for dominance. According to FirstPageSage's market share report from April 2025, the landscape shows significant concentration among a few major players but with emerging competitors gaining ground.
Current market share statistics
ChatGPT remains the dominant player in the AI search market, but its growth has slowed as competitors have emerged with compelling alternatives.
The FirstPageSage report indicates that while ChatGPT maintains its leadership position, it "has seen a decline in market share this year at the hands of its many smaller competitors," particularly specialty AI tools like developer-focused Phind and business-oriented Claude AI.
Key players and their parent companies
- ChatGPT (OpenAI, with significant investment from Microsoft)
- Google Gemini (Google/Alphabet)
- Microsoft Copilot (Microsoft, formerly known as Bing Chat)
- Perplexity AI (Independent startup with notable investors)
- Claude AI (Anthropic)
- DeepSeek (Rapidly growing Chinese AI company)
- Specialized tools: Phind, You.com, Brave Search AI, Komo.AI, and Andi Search
Here's the full table with all AI search platforms:
I've been getting incredible from our early users - would like to be involved? Join BrandBeacon.ai's early access program — we're actively implementing user feedback to keep improving the mention tracking on platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity. Or, if you're into SEO, why not check out my AI search audit framework.