Google's application has for the first time surpassed the Naver app in monthly active users (MAU) in South Korea. Analysts say usage patterns for portal and search apps are shifting as more people use generative artificial intelligence (AI) services.

According to IGAWorks' Mobile Index on Aug. 11, the Google app posted 47,022,854 MAU last month, ranking first in the overall productivity app category. That was 177,837 more than the No. 2 Naver app, which had 46,845,017.

It is the first time the Google app has overtaken the Naver app in MAU since Mobile Index began compiling related statistics in March 2021.

The Google app first exceeded 40 million users in May last year, and topped 46 million in May this year, showing steady growth. In June, the gap with the Naver app narrowed to 245,836 users, and the ranking flipped a month later.

By contrast, the Naver app's MAU has moved up and down in the 43 million to 46 million range since January 2023, showing a relatively moderate trend. Over the same period, the No. 3 productivity app by users was Google Chrome, with MAU tallied at 42,457,506.

The industry is focusing on the possibility that the spread of Google's generative AI model Gemini and stronger AI search features may have contributed to the increase in Google app users. It said the combination of search and generative AI is diversifying how users seek information. Still, no separate statistics have been confirmed that directly tie the Google app's user increase to Gemini, and some point out it is difficult to conclude AI services were the direct cause of the MAU reversal.

User growth for generative AI services themselves is also clear. OpenAI's ChatGPT recorded 16,456,151 MAU last month, ranking seventh in productivity app users. That is about 2.6 times the number of users for the Daum app, which had 6,307,395.

As recently as March last year, ChatGPT users remained in the 5 million range, trailing Daum, which was in the 7.6 million range. But in April last year, its users jumped to the 10 million range, and it has continued widening the gap since first surpassing Daum.

Naver is responding by integrating generative AI into its search service. It is expanding its conversational AI search service, AI Tab, while enhancing search functions by linking AI with its services such as shopping and real estate.

Some also say it is too early to conclude the competitive landscape of South Korea's search market is changing based on this reversal. MAU measures the number of users who used an app at least once during the month, and differs from metrics such as actual searches, time spent and search market share. Whether Google's overtake of Naver is temporary or becomes a trend is expected to be confirmed through future user trends at the two companies.