Manchester has been named Britain’s AI-search capital, with residents showing the greatest relative interest in artificial intelligence assistants, according to new research.
The study by AI & automation experts at Inflection Point analysed Google search data for four major AI assistants (ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini and Claude) across 73 UK cities and large towns to reveal where interest is highest relative to population.
Researchers examined average monthly searches between October 2025 and September 2026, comparing the combined search figures with local population sizes to identify the cities generating the most AI-related searches per 100,000 residents.
The top 10 UK cities searching for AI assistants the mostÂ
Rank | City | Country | Searches per 100,000 people | ChatGPT | Gemini | Claude | Copilot |
1 | Manchester | England | 154,264 | 93.24% | 4.05% | 2.06% | 0.65% |
2 | Salford | England | 120,310 | 93.19% | 3.64% | 2.61% | 0.57% |
3 | Wrexham | Wales | 114,274 | 94.48% | 3.82% | 1.03% | 0.67% |
4 | St Albans | England | 111,660 | 92.64% | 4.54% | 2.08% | 0.75% |
5 | Newry | Northern Ireland | 109,101 | 93.86% | 4.24% | 1.25% | 0.65% |
6 | Bath | England | 107,817 | 92.01% | 3.85% | 3.25% | 0.89% |
7 | Chichester | England | 104,862 | 93.22% | 4.23% | 1.84% | 0.72% |
8 | Durham | England | 101,175 | 92.64% | 3.99% | 2.28% | 1.10% |
9 | Bangor | Wales | 100,942 | 92.69% | 3.79% | 2.41% | 1.11% |
10 | Bristol | England | 99,885 | 93.01% | 3.74% | 2.63% | 0.62% |
Manchester takes first place, with 154,264 AI-assistant searches per 100,000 residents each month. The city records around 725,663 searches monthly across the four platforms, making it the clear leader in the population-adjusted ranking.
ChatGPT accounts for 93.24% of those searches, followed by Google Gemini at 4.05%, Claude at 2.06% and Microsoft Copilot at 0.65%. Despite the growing number of AI tools available, the figures suggest that ChatGPT remains the name people are most likely to search for.
Neighbouring Salford ranks second, recording 120,310 searches per 100,000 residents. Together, the two Greater Manchester cities occupy the top two positions, although Manchester’s rate is approximately 28% higher.
ChatGPT represents 93.19% of searches in Salford, while Google Gemini accounts for 3.64%. Claude follows with 2.61%, a slightly higher share than in Manchester, and Microsoft Copilot makes up the remaining 0.57%.
Wrexham is third and the highest-ranking Welsh city, with 114,274 monthly searches per 100,000 residents. Its combined average stands at 51,178 searches a month, with ChatGPT responsible for 94.48% of the total.
Google Gemini follows at 3.82%, while Claude accounts for 1.03% and Microsoft Copilot for 0.67%. Wrexham has the highest ChatGPT share among the top five cities, showing just how strongly one platform dominates local searches.
St Albans takes fourth place, recording 111,660 searches per 100,000 residents each month. ChatGPT leads with 92.64%, but Google Gemini claims 4.54% of searches, the largest share for Google’s assistant among the top ten cities. Claude accounts for 2.08%, followed by Microsoft Copilot with 0.75%.
Newry completes the top five with 109,101 monthly searches per 100,000 residents, making it Northern Ireland’s highest-ranking city. ChatGPT accounts for 93.86% of searches, while Google Gemini makes up 4.24%. Claude follows at 1.25%, with Microsoft Copilot on 0.65%. Newry is the only Northern Irish city to appear in the top ten.
Bath ranks sixth, with 107,817 monthly searches per 100,000 residents. Although ChatGPT remains the most searched platform at 92.01%, Bath records the highest Claude share in the top ten, at 3.25%. Google Gemini accounts for 3.85% and Microsoft Copilot for 0.89%.
Chichester follows in seventh place, recording 104,862 searches per 100,000 residents each month. ChatGPT makes up 93.22% of searches, while Google Gemini accounts for 4.23%. Claude represents 1.84%, followed by Microsoft Copilot at 0.72%. The city records around 33,252 searches monthly across the four platforms.
Durham takes eighth place, with 101,175 monthly searches per 100,000 residents. ChatGPT represents 92.64% of searches, followed by Google Gemini on 3.99% and Claude on 2.28%. Microsoft Copilot accounts for 1.10%, one of the highest shares among the cities in the top ten.
Bangor, Wales, ranks ninth with 100,942 monthly searches per 100,000 residents, making it the second Welsh city in the top ten. ChatGPT attracts 92.69% of searches, while Google Gemini represents 3.79% and Claude 2.41%. Microsoft Copilot accounts for 1.11%, the highest Copilot share among the top ten cities.
Bristol completes the ranking in tenth place, recording 99,885 searches per 100,000 residents. However, its overall search volume is considerably higher than that of most cities above it, with approximately 424,724 searches each month across the four assistants. ChatGPT accounts for 93.01%, followed by Google Gemini at 3.74%, Claude at 2.63% and Microsoft Copilot at 0.62%.
Outside the top ten, Birmingham narrowly misses out in eleventh place, recording 99,768 monthly searches per 100,000 residents. London, meanwhile, ranks fifteenth on the population-adjusted measure, despite generating almost eight million monthly searches across the four assistants.
Iain Godding, Founder of Inflection Point, commented on the findings: “What’s interesting about these results is that Manchester and Salford are both at the top. We often talk about London when it comes to technology, but the interest in AI clearly isn’t limited to the capital.
“ChatGPT is still the name that dominates searches, and that isn’t particularly surprising given how much attention it’s received. What is interesting is how far ahead it appears to be, even with other major companies investing heavily in their own AI assistants.
“People aren’t necessarily sticking to one tool, though. Gemini and Claude are attracting searches across the country, and in places such as Bath and St Albans we can see slightly different patterns emerging.
“Not every AI assistant is designed to do exactly the same thing. Someone might turn to ChatGPT for everyday questions, use Gemini alongside Google’s services or look into Claude for more detailed writing and analysis. As people become more familiar with the technology, they may start exploring which tools work best for different tasks.
“It’s also important to remember that searching for an AI platform doesn’t necessarily mean someone uses it regularly. Some people may be trying it for the first time, comparing services or simply looking for information about what it can do.”
