A significant increase in web traffic to AI-related websites has marked a shift in how users interact with artificial intelligence.
Traffic to AI tool platforms rose from 7 billion visits in February 2024 to 10.53 billion in January 2025 (a 50% increase) according to new findings from Menlo Security.
This shift is mainly due to the continued reliance on browsers to access generative AI (GenAI) tools. While some AI deployments have transitioned to desktop or private applications, approximately 80% of generative AI (GenAI) usage still occurs within browsers.
This trend persists because browsers are universally available across devices, easily integrate with other services and platforms, and allow developers to launch AI tools quickly and at scale.
“There has been a lot more information and awareness about the risks and threats with regard to AI provided over the last year,” said Satyam Sinha, CEO and co-founder at Acuvity.
“In our discussions with customers, it is evident that they are overwhelmed about how to prioritize and tackle the issues.”
The Current GenAI Landscape
Menlo Security's recent study, which analyzed AI interactions from hundreds of organizations globally during 30 days in May and June 2025, provides key insights into the current GenAI landscape:
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5.6 million GenAI site visits recorded in a single month
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6500 unique GenAI domains versus 3000 apps
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400 million weekly ChatGPT users, with more than 95% using the free tier
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75% of organizations in the Asia-Pacific region adopting GenAI
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A 130% year-over-year increase in zero-hour phishing attacks, now driven by AI
Read more on browser security in the age of AI: Closing the Browser Security Gap: Defending Against Modern Web-Based Threats
“Understanding the evolving threat landscape and the techniques adversaries are using to manipulate AI is key and critical for defenders [...] to effectively secure their AI systems,” said Nicole Carignan, senior vice president at Darktrace.
“Cybersecurity plays a crucial role and is foundational to AI safety.”
Security Risks Rise Alongside Adoption
The rise in shadow AI use is also exacerbating concerns, according to the report, with 68% of employees using free-tier AI tools like ChatGPT via personal accounts and 57% inputting sensitive data.
“The generative nature of shadow AI, and its lack of guardrails, makes it potentially more powerful and more dangerous than traditional shadow IT,” said Kris Bondi, CEO of Mimoto.
“Its stealth usage adds to the risk associated with it.”
Krishna Vishnubhotla of Zimperium warned that GenAI-powered phishing campaigns are escalating in both speed and realism.
“Relying on outdated defenses is no longer enough – security must evolve as fast as the threats,” he added.
As the AI landscape continues to expand at a rapid pace, so too must the security strategies designed to protect it.
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