Newly Released Data Shows Desktop AI Search Referrals Dominate

BrightEdge Reveals Key Trends in AI Search Traffic and Highlights Potential Shake-Up from Apple

BrightEdge, a leading enterprise SEO platform, has released new insights uncovering distinct patterns across major AI-powered search engines and chatbot platforms. The report also hints at a possible disruption in the search landscape if Apple decides to replace Google as the default search engine on Safari.

AI Traffic Trends Favor Desktop Users

A major takeaway from the report is the dominance of desktop traffic in AI search and chatbot referrals. Unlike traditional search engines, most AI-generated web traffic originates from desktop devices. Google Search is the notable exception, continuing to drive more traffic from mobile than desktop.

According to BrightEdge, 94% of traffic from ChatGPT comes from its desktop interface, while only 6% is attributed to its mobile app. The disparity is believed to stem from the ChatGPT mobile app’s design, which shows content previews within the app itself. Users must tap again to reach an external site, creating a “second-click” friction point that reduces referral traffic compared to the desktop experience.

However, that doesn’t fully explain why platforms like Perplexity, Bing, and Google Gemini also show similar desktop-heavy traffic patterns. One possible reason could be the context of use: desktop users may be engaging with AI tools more for business or research purposes, while mobile interactions are shorter, more casual, and less likely to involve external site visits.

Interestingly, traditional Google Search bucks this trend, delivering more traffic from mobile devices than desktops. This contrast suggests that the disparity may be less about the platforms themselves and more about how users engage with them across different devices.

But change may be on the horizon. BrightEdge notes that Apple’s growing investment in AI and its vendor-agnostic “Apple Intelligence” could pave the way for a significant shift. With around a billion users defaulting to Safari, any change in the default search engine could redistribute massive volumes of mobile search traffic virtually overnight.

As generative AI tools continue gaining traction on iOS, Apple’s influence over mobile web search, still largely dominated by Google, positions Safari as the most valuable and potentially disruptive real estate in the mobile search landscape.

Here are the traffic referral statistics provided by BrightEdge:

• Google Search: Only major AI search with mobile majority traffic referrals (53% mobile vs 44% desktop)
• ChatGPT: 94% desktop, just 6% mobile referrals
• Perplexity: 96.5% desktop, 3.4% mobile
• Bing: 94% desktop, 4% mobile
• Google Gemini: 91% desktop, 5% mobile

Is Apple Poised to Reshape the Search Landscape?

As Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) approaches, all eyes are on potential announcements concerning Safari, the default browser on nearly a billion devices. Any shift in Safari’s default search provider could have far-reaching consequences, potentially redefining the balance of power in the search engine market.

According to Perplexity, such a change could significantly alter search marketing strategies for several key reasons:

• 58% of Google’s mobile traffic to brand websites originates from iPhones
• Safari remains the default browser for nearly one billion users globally
• Apple has yet to integrate AI-powered search into its mobile web ecosystem

If Apple chooses to pivot, it could trigger one of the most disruptive shifts in mobile search history, elevating new players and challenging Google’s long-held dominance.

Key Takeaways

• AI Search Traffic Dominated by Desktop Users
  The majority of referral traffic from AI platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Bing, and Gemini originates from desktop usage rather than mobile.
• Google Search Remains a Mobile Outlier
  In contrast to AI search tools, Google Search continues to drive more traffic from mobile devices than desktops.
• Mobile Limitations May Hinder ChatGPT Referrals
  ChatGPT’s mobile app displays in-app previews, requiring users to make an additional click to reach external websites, likely contributing to its lower mobile referral rates.
• Apple Holds a Powerful Position in Search Marketing
  With iPhones accounting for over half of Google’s mobile traffic to brand websites, Apple’s role in the mobile search ecosystem is highly influential.
• Safari’s Default Status Grants Market Control
  As the default browser on nearly a billion devices, Safari gives Apple considerable control over mobile web search direction and traffic flow.
• Perplexity Could Benefit from a Safari Switch
  Should Apple designate Perplexity as Safari’s default search engine, it could trigger a significant reallocation of search traffic and shift market dynamics.
• WWDC Announcements May Reshape the Industry
  Any updates at Apple’s WWDC regarding Safari’s search engine partnerships could have major implications for the future of search marketing.

BrightEdge: Desktop Drives Most AI Search Traffic, Apple Could Disrupt the Landscape

BrightEdge data reveals that desktop users are the primary source of referral traffic from AI-powered search platforms such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, Bing, and Gemini. Google Search stands out as the only major platform where mobile referrals surpass desktop.

This trend may reflect a behavioral divide—desktop users are more likely to engage in research or work-related queries, while mobile users typically browse more casually. BrightEdge also highlights a technical barrier in the ChatGPT mobile app, which requires an extra click to visit external sites, likely reducing referral volume from mobile.

Additionally, BrightEdge underscores the potential for major disruption stemming from Apple’s control of Safari, the default browser on nearly a billion devices. If Apple were to change its default search provider from Google, it could significantly shift mobile search traffic and reshape the competitive dynamics of the search market.

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