It’s been exactly one year since the launch of ChatGPT, a groundbreaking event that transformed AI chatbot technology from a research preview into an everyday tool embraced by mainstream users. The introduction of the ChatGPT mobile app played a crucial role in this evolution, with its May 2023 debut on iOS, followed by the July 2023 release on Android, making the chatbot accessible to a broader audience. On its first anniversary, recent data reveals that the combined installs for ChatGPT’s mobile apps have exceeded 110 million, and consumer spending has reached nearly $30 million, according to insights provided by mobile intelligence provider data.ai to TechCrunch.
The revenue generation for ChatGPT’s mobile apps primarily comes from the sale of the ChatGPT Plus subscription through in-app purchases. Priced at $19.99 per month, the subscription offers additional benefits such as general access during peak times, faster response times, and early access to new features. Despite its relatively high cost compared to other services, the demand for ChatGPT Plus access has driven consumer spending to approximately $28.6 million globally. The subscription, initially available to U.S. users, expanded to international users in February 2023, preceding the launch of the mobile apps.
Although the subscription cost is on the higher side, consumers’ interest in ChatGPT Plus has consistently grown over time, contributing to the app’s overall success. While the mobile apps’ consumer spending is significant, it’s important to note that additional users may have subscribed via the web. Additionally, the mobile app landscape includes various AI chatbot applications, and users may have opted for different subscriptions, possibly utilizing ChatGPT’s API for other purposes. For instance, the app Poe, facilitating interaction with various AI chatbots, including ChatGPT, boasts 1.18 million monthly active users as of September 2023, as reported by app intelligence firm Apptoppia.
data.ai’s analysis, while differing in terms of consumer spending rankings, indicates that ChatGPT doesn’t hold the top position in revenue among chatbots. Ask AI, which entered the mobile scene ahead of ChatGPT, leads in this regard, offering a range of lower-priced in-app purchase options for premium features.
Despite these rankings, ChatGPT’s mobile app downloads continue to surge after the spring and summer launches on iOS and Android, respectively, surpassing 110 million. Notably, within a week of its Google Play release, ChatGPT’s Android downloads achieved a record adoption of about 18 million new installs, a feat unmatched by other mobile apps, according to data.ai. Weekly downloads, combining iOS and Android, consistently exceed 4 million, maintaining this figure for the past five weeks.
In terms of downloads, ChatGPT outperforms other generative AI apps, including Character AI, Ask AI, Open Chat, Nova, ChatBot, AI Mirror, Imagine, Artimind, and ChatBox. The geographical distribution of downloads indicates a close competition between India and the U.S., with 18% and 17.5% shares, respectively.
However, an in-depth analysis of Android data suggests that ChatGPT may not be the most frequently used AI app, ranking third behind Character AI and Chai. These apps, allowing users to create personified AI chatbots, tend to generate more sessions than the utilitarian ChatGPT. Nevertheless, data.ai suggests that this dynamic could change with the introduction of special-purchase GPTs.
Looking ahead, data.ai anticipates that by the end of 2023, ChatGPT will witness a significant increase in both installs and revenue, adding tens of millions more to its user base.
