AI isn't killing Google: SparkToro data shows search steady as AI growth cools

The narrative that AI chatbots are about to kill traditional search just hit a massive reality check.

SparkToro and clickstream data firm Datos just published a deep dive into millions of US desktop devices, tracking real user behavior over the last two years. The takeaway is clear: while AI tools have grown aggressively, Google and traditional search haven't budged an inch.

Heavy search usage is actually up

According to the dataset, over 20% of Americans are now heavy AI users, logging 10 or more visits a month. Nearly 40% use an AI tool at least once monthly, up from just 8% two and a half years ago.

Yet traditional search remains virtually untouchable. Over 95% of Americans still use traditional search engines every month, with 86% qualifying as heavy users. Over the same two-and-a-half-year period, search penetration slipped by less than 1%.

Even wilder: desktop users relying heavily on traditional search actually grew from 84% in early 2023 to 87% in early 2025. Meanwhile, rapid adoption among top AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, Gemini, Perplexity, and DeepSeek has cooled off. Not one month since September 2024 has seen combined user growth top 10%.

Search expansion, not replacement

Instead of stealing Google's lunch, AI seems to be buying it snacks. Semrush data cited in the report reveals that when people adopt ChatGPT, their Google search volume actually spikes and stays elevated for months.

Users aren't swapping search boxes; they are using AI to brainstorm, synthesize, or outline, which in turn sparks new queries that require web verification.

School calendars also tell an uncomfortable truth. Both search and AI took a hit this June, but AI's dip mirrors OpenAI's own data showing token usage falling off a cliff the exact day US schools let out. A substantial chunk of conversational AI activity remains heavily tied to homework and coursework.

Why it matters

This data cuts straight through the LinkedIn hype cycle. For digital marketers and publishers, abandoning conventional SEO for generative engine optimization looks premature. The vast majority of consumers still instinctively turn to standard search engines, even if Google's own AI Overviews are eating into their referral clicks.

For the AI industry, the slowing growth suggests a looming plateau. Conversational models have likely saturated their core audience of tech workers and students. Without dramatic friction reductions, convincing the remaining 60% of the population to integrate standalone chat tools into daily life looks like an uphill battle.