---
title: "Google vs OpenAI: Which is more popular by branded search?"
description: "Which is more popular in search, Google or OpenAI? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Generative AI platforms set worldwide. 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."
canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/google-vs-openai"
publisher: "Brandwave"
---

# Google vs OpenAI: Which is more popular by branded search?

Which is more popular in search, Google or OpenAI? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Generative AI platforms set worldwide. 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.

## Key facts

- **Compared**: Google and OpenAI
- **Competitive set**: Generative AI platforms
- **Market**: Global
- **Month measured**: Aug 2026
- **Google Share of Search**: 97.9%
- **OpenAI Share of Search**: 1.2%

## Which is more popular in search, Google or OpenAI?

- 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 97.9% Share of Search versus OpenAI’s 1.2%.
- 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 97.3% to 97.9%, 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 2.1% 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?

- Google’s estimated Share of Search among generative AI platforms worldwide has gained ground for 3 months in a row, from 97.1% to 97.9% in August 2026.
- Estimated monthly branded searches for OpenAI worldwide fell 45.3% over 11 measured months, from 9.1M to 5M in August 2026.

## Month by month

| Month | Google estimated searches | Google Share of Search | Google rank | OpenAI estimated searches | OpenAI Share of Search | OpenAI rank |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Oct 2025 | 414M | 97.3% | 1 | 9.1M | 2.1% | 2 |
| Nov 2025 | 414M | 97.3% | 1 | 9.1M | 2.1% | 2 |
| Dec 2025 | 414M | 96.9% | 1 | 11.1M | 2.6% | 2 |
| Jan 2026 | 414M | 97.9% | 1 | 6.1M | 1.4% | 2 |
| Feb 2026 | 338M | 96.1% | 1 | 6.1M | 1.7% | 3 |
| Mar 2026 | 414M | 95.3% | 1 | 13.6M | 3.1% | 2 |
| Apr 2026 | 414M | 97% | 1 | 7.5M | 1.8% | 2 |
| May 2026 | 414M | 97.1% | 1 | 7.5M | 1.8% | 2 |
| Jun 2026 | 414M | 97.3% | 1 | 5M | 1.2% | 3 |
| Jul 2026 | 414M | 97.9% | 1 | 5M | 1.2% | 2 |
| Aug 2026 | 414M | 97.9% | 1 | 5M | 1.2% | 2 |
| Sep 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.

- **Google**: Measured on the search term “google”.
- **OpenAI**: Measured on the search term “openai”.

- [Google profile](/demand/global-en/brands/google)
- [OpenAI profile](/demand/global-en/brands/openai)
- [All generative AI platforms worldwide](/demand/global-en/categories/generative-ai-platforms): The set both shares are measured inside, 5 brands.

## Methodology

- [How is branded search demand measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which is more popular in search, Google or OpenAI?

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 97.9% Share of Search versus OpenAI’s 1.2%.

## Cite this page

Brandwave. "Google vs OpenAI: Which is more popular by branded search?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/google-vs-openai

This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/google-vs-openai. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.