The artificial intelligence (AI) market is experiencing a new phase of transformation, with the emergence of increasingly robust competitors to ChatGPT, from OpenAI. Google Trends data analyzed by Do Follow, link building agency, shows that Deepseek and Gemini are the major highlights of the AI race in recent months
In the last 12 months (from early April 2024 to early April 2025), searches for Deepseek grew by over 700%, while Gemini recorded an increase of over 450%. The ChatGPT, still the market leader, there was a growth of over 130%, followed by the terms "GPT" (+120%) and "Chat GPT" (+90%)
The main highlight of the recent period is Deepseek. Officially launched in January 2025, the Chinese search engine experienced a growth of over 3.000% in searches only in the last three months, indicating a true boom of global interest – with a peak of searches in January (100 points of interest), slight decline in February and a trend of growth starting again from March
Deepseek surpasses ChatGPT in new monthly visits
According to data from the specialized platformaitools.xyz, in February 2025, Deepseek registered 524,7 million new visits, surpassing 500 million ChatGPT. Despite this progress, the Chinese tool remains the third largest AI platform, behind ChatGPT and Canva. Deepseek's market share jumped from 2,34% for 6,58% in February, consolidating its position of accelerated growth
In the face of this rise, OpenAI responded by announcing that it will launch, in the coming months, your first open AI model since GPT-2, in a strategic move to compete with Deepseek and other emerging solutions
Gemini, ChatGPT and DeepSeek: similarities and differences
Gemini, ChatGPT and DeepSeek are advanced artificial intelligence models designed to process natural language. All of them allow text generation, answers to questions and assistance with various tasks, using neural networks trained with large volumes of data. Furthermore, these AIs are widely applied in automation, research and content creation
Despite the similarities, each one has distinct characteristics. The Gemini, do Google, stands out for its direct integration with the company's services, like YouTube, Google Search and Drive, being a powerful option for those already using this ecosystem.
The ChatGPT, from OpenAI, is recognized for its flexibility and widespread adoption, being used on various platforms and enabling integrations with APIs for different applications. DeepSeek already, based on open-source models, it differs by focusing on greater autonomy and customization, especially attractive to developers and researchers seeking control over AI models
Marketing and AI: the impact of searches and trends
The growth in searches for AI platforms is not limited to Google. There is a significant change in how users access information within AI tools themselves, influencing the digital marketing strategy.
Keeping up with these trends is an increasingly necessary practice for companies that want to use AI in their routine, for content optimization, "data analysis or interaction with consumers" explains Carolina Glogovchan, CEO and specialist at Do Follow
Furthermore, an increasing number of users tend to replace traditional Google searches with direct queries in artificial intelligence tools. This change impacts online traffic flow and challenges conventional positioning strategies, becoming essential for brands to adapt the way they produce and distribute content to maintain their relevance and reach
With fierce competition and changes in industry leadership, The AI race is just beginning. The coming months promise even more innovations and competition for space in the global artificial intelligence market
