ChatGPT reaches 1 billion monthly users despite growing AI concerns

OpenAI's ChatGPT reached one billion monthly app users in May despite growing public concerns about artificial intelligence, according to estimates from market intelligence firm Sensor Tower.

The milestone makes ChatGPT the fastest app to reach one billion monthly active users, achieving the feat roughly three-and-a-half years after its November 2022 launch. CNBC reported that the previous record was held by Google Maps, which took around five years to reach a similar level of usage.

ChatGPT Maintains Lead as Rival AI Platforms Grow

Sensor Tower estimates show ChatGPT remains the world's most-used AI application, ahead of competitors including Google's Gemini, ByteDance's Doubao and Dola, and Anthropic's Claude.

OpenAI said in February that ChatGPT had surpassed 900 million weekly active users across web and mobile platforms. The company also claimed the chatbot generated more than six times the monthly web visits and mobile sessions of its nearest AI rival.

While ChatGPT continues to dominate the market, competing platforms are growing at a faster pace. According to Sensor Tower, monthly usage of Claude increased by 640% year-on-year, while Meta AI recorded a 973% rise over the same period. ChatGPT's user growth stood at 62%.

Public Sentiment Shifts as AI Expands

The surge in AI adoption comes as concerns about the technology become increasingly widespread.

Recent college graduation ceremonies in the United States saw some graduates openly criticise references to AI amid fears over job displacement. Concerns have also been raised by religious leaders, policymakers and technology companies about the risks associated with rapid AI development.

Anthropic recently called for greater caution around advanced AI systems, warning that unchecked development could become difficult to control.

"If systems are capable of fully building their own successors, the ways we secure them, monitor them, and shape their behavior all grow much more important," the company wrote in a recent blog post.

OpenAI's Pentagon Deal Triggered User Backlash

Sensor Tower analyst Abe Yousef said public sentiment has occasionally influenced user behaviour, pointing to OpenAI's agreement with the US Department of Defense earlier this year.

According to Sensor Tower data, ChatGPT app uninstallations jumped 295% day-on-day on February 28, one day after OpenAI announced plans to deploy its technology on classified Pentagon networks.

At the same time, Anthropic's Claude climbed to the top position on Apple's App Store in the United States and surpassed ChatGPT in downloads for the first time after emphasising it would not participate in Pentagon operations.

Yousef said competitor growth has been driven by both technical improvements and public perceptions of AI companies.

AI Adoption Shows No Signs of Slowing

Despite ethical, environmental and privacy concerns, analysts believe AI usage will continue to expand rapidly.

"The strong trajectory of AI adoption shows no sign of slowing," said Hanno Stegmann, Managing Director and Partner at Boston Consulting Group's AI and technology division, BCG X.

Stegmann acknowledged growing uncertainty surrounding the technology but said such concerns are a natural response to significant technological change.

"I understand why a generation entering the workforce and into this much change feels uncertain. That is a rational response to a genuine transition," he said.

A recent Boston Consulting Group survey of approximately 12,000 frontline workers found that 74% now use AI regularly, up 23 percentage points from a year earlier. More than 40% of regular users reported saving the equivalent of a full working day each week through AI tools.

Meanwhile, the United Nations estimates the global AI market could exceed $4.8 trillion by 2033.

"While negative sentiment towards AI is undeniably growing, consumers are increasingly using and relying on these platforms," Yousef said.