Pinterest Claims More Searches Than ChatGPT In Q4 report

Pinterest’s fourth-quarter 2025 earnings, released February 12, 2026, delivered mixed signals: record user growth but disappointing revenue that sent shares tumbling 20% in after-hours trading. CEO Bill Ready used the call to reposition the visual discovery platform as a powerhouse search engine, claiming it now handles 80 billion searches per month – edging out ChatGPT’s estimated 75 billion – with 1.7 billion monthly outbound clicks.

Citing third-party data, Ready emphasized Pinterest’s edge: over half of its searches carry commercial intent, compared to roughly 2% on ChatGPT. “That makes us one of the largest search destinations in the world,” he stated, highlighting the platform’s strength in visual, inspiration-driven queries that naturally lead to shopping without explicit prompts.

Despite the bold comparison, financials fell short. Q4 revenue reached $1.32 billion, missing Wall Street’s $1.33 billion expectation. The miss stemmed from reduced ad spend by major advertisers, particularly in Europe, and an October furniture tariff impacting the home category. On a brighter note, global monthly active users surged 12% year-over-year to a record 619 million, beating analyst forecasts of 613 million and marking 10 straight quarters of record highs.

Ready addressed the AI era’s challenges, where clearer purchase intent might draw ad dollars to chatbots. He pointed to Pinterest’s visual search, AI personalization, and seamless checkouts (bolstered by Amazon partnership) as advantages. “We’re helping them complete those commercial journeys without having to type in a single prompt,” he said, adding the platform stands ready for future AI-driven purchases if consumer habits evolve.