Google Gemini as a stand-alone app and
referral source to sites and publishers across the open web sits at No. 2 behind OpenAI ChatGPT in terms of how consumers use artificial intelligence (AI), but it's gaining momentum each day.
During the first quarter of 2026, Gemini gained more users than Perplexity, Claude, Meta AI, DeepSeek and Grok combined, according to new data from BrightEdge, which has been tracking growth. This
data is separate from Google Search and AI Overviews.
Data behind the AI model race shows that ChatGPT contracted for the first time in the first quarter -- dropping from 89.2% to 81.4% of AI
referral share to websites.
By comparison, Gemini nearly tripled in Q1 compared with the prior quarter from 4.3% to 11.6%, then climbed by 13.2% in April.
Claude more than doubled in
Q1 during the same time frame, from 1.1% to 2.3%, and then reached 3.6% in April.
Perplexity is the only major AI engine that is actively losing share, according to the data.
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"LLM
loyalty is weak, and model quality moves behavior," said Jim Yu, CEO at BrightEdge. "Users are not locked into one LLM, and they will shift quickly when a model improves or when another one feels more
useful. Being first is not enough. You have to deliver the goods every day."
Google's success built on AI continues to pull in new partners like the U.S. Soccer Federation,
which will support the Men’s and Women’s National Teams through the 2026 Men’s World Cup, 2027 Women’s World Cup, and LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The partnership
with the U.S. Soccer Federation -- which kicks off May 26 -- aims to help people who did not previously watch the sport discover it, and to encourage those who already watch it to love it more.
Google will become the presenting sponsor of U.S. Soccer’s 2026 Men’s National Team Roster Reveal announcement and fan celebration.
The event will feature a live, hour-long
nationally televised broadcast on Fox, alongside a free public celebration in New York City, to bring supporters together.
Dan Gaiman, senior vice president of partnerships and development
strategy at U.S. Soccer, believes this is an "opportunity to reach new audiences, strengthen the connection with existing fans, and help grow the game in meaningful ways for years to
come.”
Soccer is the most-searched sport in the world, according to Google.
"Search is the best place to explore every facet of the game, where the deeper you go, the more
there is to appreciate," according to a Google blog post. "With AI in Search, it’s easier than ever to follow your curiosity and ask Google anything — whether you need a quick match score
or want to understand the physics behind a bicycle kick."