[Edaily Reporter Lee So-Hyun ] The Google app has surpassed Naver (NAVER(035420)) in monthly active users (MAU) in South Korea for three consecutive months. After the rankings flipped for the first time in July, Google maintained the lead through September. However, the gap narrowed slightly compared to August, and the race between the two apps remains neck-and-neck.

A notable change is that generative artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a new factor in the head-to-head competition between Naver and Google. Even in September, when both Naver and Google saw their MAUs decline month-over-month, ChatGPT increased its user base by more than 5%, approaching 18 million users.

As search portals integrate AI features and standalone generative AI continues to grow, there is a clear trend toward information search paths becoming分散 across multiple platforms.

According to estimates provided to Edaily on the 11th by Mobile Index, a service of AI tech firm iGAWorks, Google’s app MAU in September stood at 47,214,115, surpassing Naver (46,810,994) by 403,121 users. The gap widened from 180,000 in July to 420,000 in August and remained at around 400,000 in September.

There was also a difference in year-over-year growth rates. From July to September, Google’s MAU grew by 11–12% each month, while Naver’s increased by 3–4%. Rather than Naver losing users, it appears that while both platforms were expanding their user bases, Google’s growth was faster.

Search Portals Integrate AI; ChatGPT Also Grows

Google’s user growth aligns with its ongoing efforts to expand the intersection between search and AI. Google has broadened the ways users can access AI without having to seek out separate AI apps, including the “AI Mode” in search, “Circle to Search” on Samsung Galaxy devices, Google Lens, and Gemini in Chrome.

The growth of standalone generative AI also continued. In September, ChatGPT’s MAU reached 17.99 million, an increase of approximately 890,000 (5.2%) from the previous month. This represents a 40.6% increase compared to the same month last year, with a gain of about 1.54 million users in just two months since July.

Changes in usage time are also evident. Naver’s average monthly usage time per user decreased from about 400 minutes in July to around 370 minutes in September, while Google’s usage time plateaued in the high 60-minute range. In contrast, ChatGPT’s average monthly usage time per user increased from the 120-minute range in July to the 150-minute range in September. ChatGPT appears to be rapidly expanding not only its user base but also the depth of user engagement.

Google is broad, Naver is deep… The scope of AI competition is expanding

However, the prevailing view in the portal industry is that it is difficult to conclude that the leadership in the domestic search market has shifted just because the Google app has outperformed Naver for three consecutive months. App MAU includes users who access the app even just once a month, and Naver Search can also be used on other browsers such as Chrome and Safari. The Google app’s metrics also reflect the combined use of various features, including search and AI.

In terms of usage depth, Naver still leads. In September, the average monthly usage time per user for the Naver app was 369.9 minutes—5.5 times that of Google (66.9 minutes).

Naver is also rapidly expanding its AI touchpoints. In June, it officially launched the conversational search feature “AI Tab,” which connects users to shopping, local services, and reservations, and surpassed 10 million users in just over a month after launch. In September, it introduced “Place Agent AI” on Naver Maps, which connects users from location recommendations to reservations, and on the 1st of this month, it officially launched “AI Chat” in the Whale browser, which supports web page summarization, translation, follow-up questions, and schedule management.

While Google is expanding its AI entry points through Search, Android, and Chrome, Naver’s strategy is to embed AI into Search, Maps, Shopping, and the browser to connect with domestic lifestyle services and real-world actions. Ultimately, the competitive landscape is expanding beyond the head-to-head battle between Naver and Google to include generative AI like ChatGPT. Google has secured the broadest user base, Naver continues to be used most deeply, and ChatGPT is rapidly increasing the depth of user engagement.

An IT industry insider noted, “The rapid growth in the number of users and usage time for Google apps is certainly a noteworthy change,” but added, “Given that Naver’s depth of usage remains significant, this should be viewed not as a reversal in search market share but as a trend toward diversification in information-searching methods driven by the spread of AI.”