OpenAI Crawl Activity Tripled Since GPT-5, Data Shows
By Matt G. Southern
Published on April 29, 2026.
OpenAI’s automated crawl activity has tripled since the launch of GPT-5, according to an analysis by Botify and guest author Chris Long. The data was gathered from roughly 7 billion OpenAI-bot log events from Botify’�s enterprise client dataset spanning November 2024 through March 2026. Two of the three OpenAI user agents measured saw activity spike around the GPT launch, with OAI-SearchBot recording about 3.5x more events after August 2025, which equates to roughly 2.2 billion additional events in Botify's dataset. The third user agent, ChatGPT-User, saw a 28% drop in log events between December 2025 and March 20 26. The post-GPT5 search bot increases varied by industry, with healthcare seeing about 740% more activity after launch; Media and Publishing, 702%; and Marketplaces, Software, and Retail seeing the smallest rise at 30%.
Related Articles
Axios Finish Line: Make AI remember you
The Axios Finish Line offers tips on improving AI memory, starting a business, and managing your past, all using context.
First two episodes of Widow’s Bay now available on Apple TV
Widow's Bay, a horror-comedy starring Matthew Rhys, is now available to stream on Apple TV for subscribers, following its premiere last December.
The World's Smallest Wellness Wearable, Smart Earrings, Just Launched on Kickstarter
Lumia Health's Lumia 2 smart earrings, launched on Kickstarter, are the world's smallest wellness wearable with swappable batteries and comprehensive data collection capabilities, enabling continuous data collection and integration features.