ChatGPT and Perplexity Rose in Scraping Rankings
The AI platforms have secured spots among the web's most-scraped sites as data collection habits shift.
Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence
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ChatGPT and Perplexity have entered the top five most-scraped websites globally, reflecting a major change in how organizations gather data. Seven of the top 10 most-scraped platforms are now new entrants to the list.
Why it matters
Businesses are increasingly monitoring AI platforms to observe the specific information provided to consumers and to identify emerging buying patterns. This shift marks a move away from tracking traditional e-commerce giants.
ChatGPT and Perplexity currently account for 14% and 10% of observed scraping activity, respectively. They now trail TikTok, which leads the list with 18% of total scrapes, while platforms like Walmart and eBay have exited the top 10.
The players
ChatGPT
This generative AI platform provides conversational search results and currently accounts for 14% of global web scraping activity.
Perplexity
This AI-powered search engine has rapidly risen to become one of the most-scraped websites, capturing 10% of scraping traffic.
TikTok
The short-form video platform currently ranks as the most-scraped website on the internet with 18% of observed activity.
The details
Organizations are prioritizing the surveillance of AI and social media platforms to track consumer search results and product rankings. This strategy replaces previous efforts that focused on monitoring traditional retailers like Walmart, eBay, and Airbnb.
Timeline
In 2025, Walmart, eBay, and Airbnb held positions in the top 10 most-scraped sites.
During 2024, businesses scraped the web primarily to monitor search queries.
By 2027, AI agents are projected to lead the initiation of web scraping processes.
The Tech Race
This transition marks a clear departure from the historical reliance on scraping traditional retail sites to gain market insights. As AI platforms become primary interfaces for consumer searches, the industry is realigning its data collection efforts to mirror this technological shift.
The shift in data collection suggests that search results and product recommendations on AI platforms will become increasingly influenced by corporate intelligence gathering. Consumers may notice that their search experiences become more responsive to the competitive tracking of their buying habits.
The takeaway
The rise of AI platforms in scraping rankings confirms that businesses now view these tools as the primary window into consumer behavior. Companies that fail to monitor these platforms may lose critical insights into shifting market trends and search-driven purchasing decisions.
Further reading
For more information on the evolving data landscape, visit our Artificial Intelligence section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by TechRadar.
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