Google vs OpenAI:Which is more popular by branded search?
In August 2026, Google had more branded searches than OpenAI among generative AI platforms worldwide. Google was estimated to have 414M branded searches compared to OpenAI’s 5M, and held a 98% Share of Search versus OpenAI’s 1.2%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Which is more popular in search, Google or OpenAI?
Compare the platforms that provide large language models. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for Google, OpenAI. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | OpenAI | Anthropic | Mistral AI | Cohere | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 97.4% | 2.2% | 0.19% | 0.19% | 0.03% |
| Nov 2025 | 97.4% | 2.2% | 0.24% | 0.19% | 0.02% |
| Dec 2025 | 97% | 2.6% | 0.19% | 0.19% | 0.02% |
| Jan 2026 | 98% | 1.4% | 0.29% | 0.19% | 0.02% |
| Feb 2026 | 96.3% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 0.23% | 0.03% |
| Mar 2026 | 95.5% | 3.1% | 1.2% | 0.23% | 0.03% |
| Apr 2026 | 97.1% | 1.8% | 0.96% | 0.19% | 0.03% |
| May 2026 | 97.2% | 1.8% | 0.79% | 0.19% | 0.03% |
| Jun 2026 | 97.4% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 0.19% | 0.03% |
| Jul 2026 | 98% | 1.2% | 0.65% | 0.16% | 0.03% |
| Aug 2026 | 98% | 1.2% | 0.65% | 0.16% | 0.03% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Google and OpenAI comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Google was ahead of OpenAI in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Google’s estimated Share of Search among generative AI platforms worldwide moved from 97.4% to 98%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 414M.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, OpenAI’s estimated Share of Search among generative AI platforms worldwide moved from 2.2% to 1.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 9.1M to 5M.
How did search popularity change for generative AI platforms worldwide in August 2026?
1 change
Estimated monthly branded searches for OpenAI worldwide fell 45.3% over 11 measured months, from 9.1M to 5M in August 2026.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Google’s and OpenAI’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.