Is AI the end of the road for websites?
Will ChatGPT make websites and search engines redundant?
AI tools such as ChatGPT are changing the way people use websites. Traditionally, internet users have relied on menus, search engines and categories for navigation and finding information. And, for many years, Google has been the pre-eminent guide used in that context. However, AI integrations now enable people to get information directly from chat interfaces. What are the implications for website traffic in general, and for Google's status in particular? SIDN asked GfK to investigate, and the first findings are now available.
Usage studied with NIQ GfK's GXL
SIDN has been working with NIQ GfK for quite some time. Projects realised by the partnership include the survey of Trends in Internet Use. NIQ GfK has a panel of subjects called the GXL panel. Special software installed on panel members' devices monitors how they use the internet. The software collects anonymous data about online behaviour, such as the websites that people visit, the apps they use, and the searches they do. The collected data provides insight into digital trends, website use and preferences based on people's real-world activities, which are valuable for the .nl domain.
Relationship between AI and website visits
Last autumn, we asked NIQ GfK to test a number of hypotheses about future internet use. One of them was that AI users visit more/fewer (.nl) websites. In other words, we wanted to know whether tools such as ChatGPT cannibalise the informative function of websites by providing output that reduces the incentive for users to look further.To find out whether ChatGPT users visit more or fewer (.nl) websites than other internet users, GfK quantified the .nl website visits made by panel members who use ChatGPT and traced the changes observable in the data for 2023 and 2024 (i.e. since ChatGPT was introduced to the Netherlands). In that context, it's worth noting that ChatGPT had only 600,000 Dutch users per month at the start of 2023, but 3.1 million by December 2024. For many users, therefore, no comparative material is available yet.
Older users visit fewer websites
The results are intriguing. The number of website visits made by internet users in general rose in 2023 and 2024, but visits by ChatGPT users fell, except amongst the under-24s. Amongst people aged 50 to 64, there's a negative correlation between the use of ChatGPT and website visits. The number of sites visited by ChatGPT users has fallen considerably, by 12 per cent for .com and 15 per cent for .nl. Further analysis is needed to establish what types of site are losing out most. However, because the data relates to early adopters of applications such as ChatGPT, the people in question are generally 'heavy users' who visit more websites than the average person does.
Chart 1: Monthly number of .nl website visits by all users aged 13+ and by ChatGPT users (Source: NIQ GfK/GXL). The Y-axis shows the number of websites visited.
Age group | 2023 all users | 2024 all users | 2023 ChatGPT users | 2024 ChatGPT users |
|---|---|---|---|---|
13-24-yr-olds | 662 | 758 | 777 | 801 |
25-34-yr-olds | 852 | 907 | 971 | 970 |
35-49-yr-olds | 841 | 862 | 916 | 923 |
50-64-yr-olds | 907 | 881 | 1.141 | 969 |
Over-65s | 799 | 775 | 1.007 | 888 |
Total | 4,061 | 4,183 | 4,813 | 4,550 |
Less Google interaction amongst middle-aged people
A related question is how ChatGPT will affect Google's position. Will ChatGPT users do without the all-powerful search engine from now on? Not long ago, Google CEO Sundar Pichai acknowledged that Google – which has its own AI chatbot, Gemini – is behind ChatGPT, which is increasingly synonymous with AI. Asked recently whether ChatGPT could replace search engines, Open AI CEO Sam Altman replied evasively "maybe in the future".
Less Google interaction amongst people in medium age groups
One telling detail to come out of the GXL panel data is that, in 2023 and 2024, the number of Google interactions fell slightly in exactly the age groups where the use of ChatGPT is associated with fewer website visits (-12% in 35 to 49-year-olds). However, that might be attributable to the widely criticised updates to Google's search algorithm made in autumn 2023.
Chart 2: Comparison of Google interactions per person in various age groups in 22/23 and 23/24
Age group | Number of Google interactions Oct-22/Oct-23 | Number of Google interactions Oct-23/Oct-24 |
13-24-yr-olds | 202 | 232 |
25-34-yr-olds | 265 | 250 |
35-49-yr-olds | 222 | 200 |
50-64-yr-olds | 167 | 154 |
Over 65s | 109 | 101 |
Further AI trend monitoring
Although it's too early to draw any far-reaching conclusions, it's apparent that interesting developments in internet use and AI are in progress. A clear correlation exists between the development of ChatGPT use and website visits in particular. However, we can't yet say whether there's a causal relationship. That would require further analysis and historical data for a broader user population.
It would also be interesting to consider how the rise of AI may impact the role of search engines. We will definitely continue monitoring trends in the use of AI and their impact on internet use, and we'll share additional data and analyses in the course of 2025. For all the latest news direct to your mailbox, subscribe to our newsletter.
