Track AI assistant traffic in GA4
ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude and Copilot send visits that GA4 files under Referral, mixed in with every other site that links to you. This kit builds the regex for a separate AI assistants channel, a Looker Studio field and an optional event snippet. Paste a GA4 export to see how much AI traffic you already get. It all runs in your browser.
Frequently asked questions
Can GA4 show traffic from Google AI Overviews or AI Mode?
No. Clicks from AI Overviews and AI Mode come through as google / organic, the same as ordinary search results, so GA4 cannot separate them. Search Console is the place to look for Google’s AI surfaces. This kit covers assistants that pass their own referrer, such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini and Copilot.
Why is some AI traffic showing as direct?
Some assistant apps, especially on mobile, open links without passing a referrer, so GA4 records the visit as (direct) / (none). ChatGPT often adds utm_source=chatgpt.com to links, which helps. Expect the numbers here to be a floor, not the full picture.
Does a custom channel group change my historical data?
GA4 applies custom channel groups to past data as well as new data, so you can see AI assistant traffic from before you set it up. The default channel group stays unchanged, so existing reports are not affected.
Is my GA4 data sent anywhere when I paste it?
No. The export is read and classified by JavaScript in your browser. Nothing is uploaded to my server or anyone else’s. Closing the page clears it.
