ChatGPT’s web traffic share falls as European rivals gain ground

The Numerama piece underlines what many in the industry already feel anecdotally: the era of a single, default generative AI interface is ending. Similarweb’s traffic data show ChatGPT still dominant, but slipping as Gemini, Claude and newer entrants—especially Chinese models like DeepSeek—eat into its share. For OpenAI, this is a warning that first‑mover advantage is not the same as permanent distribution.

Strategically, fragmentation changes the competitive calculus. If no one model or interface monopolizes user attention, then differentiation can come from vertical strength (e.g., coding, enterprise search), tight product integration (Chrome, Office, WeChat) or regional dominance. It also means that frontier capability will likely be distributed across multiple labs rather than converging on a single champion, which is healthier from a systemic risk perspective but makes safety coordination harder.

In AGI terms, this diversification suggests we’re heading toward a multipolar model ecosystem where several labs push the frontier in parallel. That can accelerate progress through competition and cross‑pollination, but it also increases the chance of a “race to the bottom” on safeguards if market share becomes the primary scoreboard.