A Paradigm Shift in Data Collection

Artificial Intelligence platforms have long been associated with the automated collection of information from websites. However, a new trend has emerged where these AI giants have themselves become the focal point of intensive data scraping efforts. According to the latest findings from Decodo, industry leaders ChatGPT and Perplexity have secured spots in the top five most-scraped websites globally.

This development highlights a critical evolution in how organizations approach digital intelligence. As Vaidotas Juknys, CEO of Decodo, explained, the focus of data gathering has moved beyond simple search trends.

«Two years ago, businesses scraped the web to see what people were searching for. Now they scrape AI platforms to see what people are being told. The use case for data collection is changing.»

The New Landscape of Data Scraping

The research underscores a changing environment where traditional retail giants are losing visibility in favor of dynamic platforms. Notable retailers such as Walmart, eBay, and Airbnb have dropped out of the top 10 most-scraped sites. Instead, the current list is dominated by new entrants, with TikTok, Google, and Amazon remaining as the only repeat entries.

The breakdown of current scraping activity is as follows:

  • TikTok: Retains the top spot, accounting for 18% of observed activity.
  • Google: Holds second place.
  • ChatGPT: Debuts in third place, responsible for 14% of the activity.
  • Perplexity: Enters the rankings at fifth place, accounting for 10% of the data.
  • Amazon: Maintains eighth place.

Why Businesses are Targeting AI

Organizations are increasingly monitoring AI platforms to gain a competitive edge. Businesses are likely scraping these sites to understand how AI tools rank their products compared to rivals, track how their brand is portrayed in AI-generated responses, monitor the frequency of brand mentions, and catalog citations. This move reflects a deeper understanding of how AI-powered buying patterns are influencing consumer behavior.


Future Outlook: The Rise of Autonomous Agents

Looking toward the future, analysts at Decodo anticipate that other major AI tools, such as Gemini and Copilot, will likely join the top 10 list in the coming year. Perhaps more significantly, the methodology behind these data collection efforts is expected to shift as well.

Juknys suggests that we are moving toward a reality where automated AI agents take over the process entirely: «Next year the agents might be doing the deciding instead of just reading the answers.»