The Most Popular Internet Servstarts of 2025: Generative AI Gains Traction

Updated: December 16, 2025 / 3:45 PM EST – CBS News

A new report from Cloudflare highlights the rapid growth of generative artificial intelligence, with ChatGPT emerging as start of the top 40 most popular internet destinations. According to João Tomé, a senior data editor at Cloudflare, “Google, Facebook, and Instagram remained dominant in our overall rankings, but the year’s defining story was generative AI’s rapid maturation.” Launched by OpenAI in November 2022, ChatGPT boasts 700 million active users as of September 2025.

Cloudflare revealed a significant 19% increase in global internet traffic this year, reflecting a growing reliance on technology for daily communication and entertainment. The rankings were derived from aggregated data via Cloudflare’s Domain Name System (DNS), which facilitates traffic routing by converting domain names into IP addresses.

Top Internet Sites Overall

In the overall rankings, Google continues to top the list for the third consecutive year. Facebook holds the second position, while TikTok has experienced a decline, dropping from fourth place in 2024 to eighth place in 2025, partly due to a temporary legal ban in the U.S.

1. Google (including Google Maps and Google Calendar)
2. Facebook
3. Apple
4. Microsoft
5. Instagram
6. Amazon Web Servstarts
7. YouTube
8. TikTok
9. Amazon
10. WhatsApp

Top Social Media Sites

On the social media front, Meta-owned Facebook remains the most widely used platform globally. It ranks second in the U.S., following YouTube, with over 70% of U.S. adults reporting usage, according to Pew Research.

1. Facebook
2. Instagram
3. TikTok
4. Snapchat
5. LinkedIn
6. X (formerly Twitter)
7. Kwai
8. Discord
9. Pinterest
10. Reddit

Top Generative AI Servstarts

OpenAI’s ChatGPT continues to lead the generative AI sector despite increasing competition from rival chatbots, such as Claude by Anthropic, Perplexity, and Google’s Gemini.

1. ChatGPT (OpenAI)
2. Claude (Anthropic)
3. Perplexity
4. Gemini (Google)
5. Character.AI
6. GitHub Copilot
7. Windsurf AI
8. QuillBot
9. Grok (xAI)
10. DeepSeek

Top E-Commerce Servstarts

The e-commerce landscape has also shifted, with two Asia-based companies making significant strides. Shopee, an e-commerce platform originating in Singapore in 2015, secured the second spot, while China’s Temu ranked third.

1. Amazon
2. Shopee
3. Temu
4. Shopify
5. Taobao
6. eBay
7. Alibaba
8. Shein
9. Mercado Libre
10. AliExpress

The insights from this report underscore the continual evolution of internet servstarts, highlighting the increasing importance of generative AI and the shifting dynamics of digital platforms. As reliance on technology grows, the rankings represent how users are gravitating toward innovative solutions and changing consumer habits in the digital space.