ChatGPT has reached 1 billion monthly active users on its app, making it the fastest application in history to reach that milestone. The figures come from market intelligence firm Sensor Tower, which previously held Google Maps as the record holder.
It took almost five years for Google Maps to reach 1 billion monthly users. ChatGPT reached the same number in about 3.5 years since its launch in November 2022.
This figure specifically refers to monthly app users rather than total users across all surfaces, including the web.
Growth in AI Chatbot Market
While ChatGPT remains the dominant player in the market, the growth rate of competing chatbots is growing more rapidly in percentage terms:
- ChatGPT: 62% year-on-year growth
- Anthropic Cloud: 640% year-over-year growth
- Meta AI: 973% year-over-year growth
Abe Yousef, senior insights analyst at Sensor Tower, told CNBC that model improvements and more positive market sentiment toward rival companies have contributed to the rise of competing apps. Despite the significant percentage difference, ChatGPT’s user base is still much larger than its competitors in absolute numbers.
How government deals and public sentiment are shaping ChatGPT adoption
OpenAI signed a deal with the Pentagon earlier this year as part of a larger set of contracts between US tech companies and the Defense Department.
This agreement was criticized by the public. In response, CEO Sam Altman promised additional safeguards to prevent the technology from being used to monitor American citizens.
On February 28, the day after the Pentagon deal was announced, there was a sharp increase in ChatGPT uninstalls, increasing by approximately 295% from the previous day. During the same period, Anthropic’s Cloud became the top free app on the US App Store.
Anthropic has refused to allow the government to use its models for mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons. This stance led to the company being labeled a “supply chain risk” by the Pentagon. Despite this, reports suggest that the NSA is using the cloud mythos for offensive cyber operations despite public disagreement.
The rise in use of AI chatbots is coinciding with growing public concerns about AI. Surveys show that nearly 70% of Americans oppose the construction of AI data centers. Concerns also remain about the impact of AI on jobs, although recent analyzes suggest that the large-scale job losses predicted have not yet materialized.
OpenAI released a report this week saying that China-linked accounts have used ChatGPT to spread anti-data center sentiment in the United States. The company said these efforts had limited impact.
The gap between increasing acceptance and decreasing public opinion is a key feature of the current AI landscape. With ChatGPT reaching one billion monthly users, many consider its practical value to outweigh concerns, even as the debate about the risks and benefits of AI continues to grow.
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