People Are More Interested In AI Than Crypto Now

June 11, 2025

Key Takeaways

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) has overtaken cryptocurrency in popularity, with Google Trends showing a consistent rise in AI-related searches since mid-2022, coinciding with the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

  • By November 2022, AI-related queries officially surpassed crypto searches, marking a significant shift in global tech interest.

  • Interest in AI is led by tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Meta AI, and Grok, highlighting a public fascination with generative and conversational AI technologies.

  • Southeast Asian (SEA) countries, including Singapore, China, the Philippines, and Myanmar, are leading the world in AI-related search volume.

A majority of Google users now show greater interest in artificial intelligence (AI) than in cryptocurrency, with the launch of ChatGPT widely seen as the key factor behind this shift in trend.

According to Google Trends, Bitcoin (BTC) and other cryptocurrency-related searches dominated online interest starting in 2020. However, this began to shift in August 2022, as artificial intelligence terms gained momentum, coinciding with the anticipation surrounding the release of ChatGPT.

By November 2022—the month ChatGPT became publicly available—search interest in AI surpassed that of crypto. Since then, the gap has continued to grow, with increasing public fascination toward AI technologies.

Now, when you take a look at the “Interest by Region” section, the data also reveals a surge in interest in AI chatbots, particularly OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, Facebook/Meta’s Meta AI, and Elon Musk’s Grok. Notably, countries in the Asian region, such as Singapore, China, the Philippines, and Myanmar, lead the AI searches.

Growing Concerns

However, there is also growing concern around certain troubling aspects of the technology, including the emergence of AI-generated content and fears that it could displace human artists. 

As a result, some countries have begun implementing regulations to manage the development and use of artificial intelligence.

For example, a significant milestone in this area was the signing of an executive order by former US President Joe Biden, aimed at ensuring the safe, secure, and responsible use of AI.

What About Bitcoin And Crypto?

For analysts, the results are hardly surprising, as Bitcoin’s rally only began late in the year following a prolonged bear market that stretched from the end of 2021 through 2022. 

At the start of 2023, the largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization was down more than 75% from its all-time high of $68,789 reached on November 10th, 2021. However, it has gradually rebounded to around $44,000 as the year draws to a close.

Fast forward to 2025, and Bitcoin has surpassed $100,000 at the time of this writing, and most alternative cryptocurrencies (also known as altcoins) are still nowhere near their all-time highs. AI-related searches continue to dominate in terms of what people are most interested in.

Final Thoughts

The shift from crypto to AI in public interest feels like a natural evolution, as people are drawn to AI’s tangible, creative potential over crypto’s speculative price swings.

The inaugural launch of ChatGPT was a game-changer, sparking curiosity in tools that feel alive, especially in places where tech adoption is red-hot. But the buzz around AI is not all rosy—fears of it drowning out human creativity or running amok are real, and regulations show governments scrambling to catch up.

But when comparing this data with AI and the latest asset class, the cyclical nature of the cryptocurrency markets still plays a significant role in the dip in Bitcoin and crypto search trends. Crypto’s hype tends to ride the waves of market cycles—booming during bull runs like 2020-2021, then fading in bear markets like late 2021 through 2022, when Bitcoin tanked over 75% from its peak.

Notably, people lose interest when prices crash, and it is less exciting to search for something that is bleeding in value. By contrast, AI’s rise, sparked by ChatGPT in 2022, feels more like a steady, curiosity-driven climb, less tied to market swings and more to tangible innovation.

Therefore, crypto’s recent rebound coupled with the US Federal Reserve's decision to cut interest rates this year might spike searches again, but its cyclical rollercoaster makes it less consistent than AI’s current grip on attention. Still, when crypto heats up, it can quickly pull focus back—people love a good moonshot!