ChatGPT is still the world’s most popular AI assistant, but its grip on the market is loosening. For the first time since its launch, OpenAI’s chatbot has fallen below 50% market share, as rivals like Google’s Gemini and Anthropic’s Claude attract a growing share of users. Ivan Mehta reports for TechCrunch, citing data from analytics firm Sensor Tower’s State of AI Report for 2026.
ChatGPT reached 1.1 billion monthly users, making it the fastest app ever to hit 1 billion monthly users. Despite that milestone, its market share dropped to 46.4% by the end of May, down from over 50% in January. Gemini now holds 27.7% and Claude 10.3%. Other assistants, including Grok, Perplexity, DeepSeek, and Meta AI, each remain below 5%.
Users switching more freely
Sensor Tower found that users are increasingly willing to move between AI assistants. Specific events can accelerate this behavior. OpenAI’s deal with the U.S. Department of Defense in February, for example, triggered a measurable spike in uninstalls, suggesting that brand values influence user decisions alongside product features.
Claude is standing out on monetization. Thirteen percent of Anthropic’s users pay for a subscription, the highest conversion rate in the industry. Meanwhile, OpenAI has begun running ads in ChatGPT. By May, 17% of daily users were being served ads, with software and shopping as the leading advertiser categories.
The broader AI app market is also growing fast. Users are on pace to spend over $4.2 billion on AI apps in the first half of 2026, up from $1.83 billion in the same period in 2025. Time spent on AI apps is expected to roughly double, from 17.2 billion hours to around 36 billion hours. Growth rates are slowing, however, which Sensor Tower sees as a sign of market maturation.
Regionally, Asia recorded its first download decline of 3.3% in the first quarter of 2026, driven by dips in China and India. North America and Europe continue to lead in consumer spending on AI apps.
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