Qwen vs xAI:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Qwen had more branded searches than xAI among AI model companies worldwide. Qwen had about 1.5 million branded searches, while xAI had 201,000. Qwen made up 7.3% of all AI model company searches we track, and xAI accounted for 0.97%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about AI model companies, xAI appeared in all five answers and Qwen in three. xAI was mentioned before Qwen in every answer.
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Top AI model companies in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, xAI appeared in all five answers. Qwen was mentioned in three out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. xAI was listed before Qwen in every answer.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
OpenAI1st
Anthropic2nd
Google DeepMind3rd
xAI4th
Meta AI5th
Mistral AI6th
Qwen7th
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- OpenAI5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Anthropic5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- xAI5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Google DeepMind4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Meta AI3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Qwen3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Mistral AI3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about AI model companies
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which AI model company should I use?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best AI model companies?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best AI model company for foundation models?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“best ai model”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“llm provider”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 19, 2026.
Is Qwen or xAI more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Qwen and xAI by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven AI model companies we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Qwen, xAI. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Meta AI | OpenAI | Anthropic | Qwen | Mistral AI | xAI | Google DeepMind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 28.3% | 49.6% | 4.5% | 8.1% | 6.9% | 2% | 0.49% |
| Nov 2025 | 32.2% | 46.2% | 5.1% | 7.6% | 6.5% | 1.9% | 0.68% |
| Dec 2025 | 25.7% | 54.5% | 4% | 7.4% | 6.3% | 1.5% | 0.54% |
| Jan 2026 | 38% | 36.4% | 7.3% | 7.3% | 7.6% | 2.7% | 0.8% |
| Feb 2026 | 25.2% | 29.6% | 29.6% | 5.9% | 6.2% | 2.7% | 0.8% |
| Mar 2026 | 19.1% | 49.6% | 18.2% | 5.5% | 5.7% | 1.6% | 0.33% |
| Apr 2026 | 30.2% | 35.4% | 19.4% | 7.1% | 6.1% | 1.4% | 0.43% |
| May 2026 | 31.4% | 36.2% | 16.2% | 7.3% | 6.7% | 1.8% | 0.53% |
| Jun 2026 | 33.4% | 25.4% | 25.4% | 6.2% | 7.6% | 1.5% | 0.56% |
| Jul 2026 | 34% | 32.1% | 17.6% | 7.8% | 6.7% | 1.3% | 0.58% |
| Aug 2026 | 33.1% | 31.5% | 17.3% | 9.5% | 6.6% | 1.3% | 0.85% |
| Sep 2026 | 31% | 29.7% | 24.3% | 7.3% | 6.2% | 0.97% | 0.65% |
How has the Qwen and xAI comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Qwen was ahead of xAI in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Qwen’s share of searches among AI model companies worldwide moved from 8.1% to 7.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 1.5M.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, xAI’s share of searches among AI model companies worldwide moved from 2% to 0.97%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 368K to 201K.
How did search popularity change for AI model companies worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Qwen lost share of searches among AI model companies worldwide, from 9.5% to 7.3%.
xAI’s share of searches among AI model companies worldwide has lost ground for 3 months in a row, from 1.5% to 0.97% in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Qwen’s and xAI’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.
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