In line with information from app intelligence agency Appfigures, OpenAI’s ChatGPT grew to become essentially the most downloaded non-gaming app worldwide in March 2025, displacing long-time leaders Instagram and TikTok.
The AI chatbot recorded 46 million new downloads through the month, a 28% enhance from February, marking its highest month-to-month efficiency up to now.
That is the primary time ChatGPT has claimed the highest place in international app downloads.
Instagram and TikTok dropped to second and third place, respectively, signalling shifting client preferences within the aggressive panorama of content material and productiveness apps.
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AI picture options drive viral development
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ChatGPT’s surge in reputation adopted a number of key updates in March, most notably a significant enhancement to its image-generation capabilities.
For the primary time in over a yr, OpenAI launched new options permitting customers to create photos and memes within the model of Studio Ghibli, the acclaimed Japanese animation studio.
This innovation sparked widespread engagement throughout social media in late March and early April.
Further enhancements, together with upgrades to its AI voice assistant and relaxed picture moderation insurance policies, additional expanded the app’s artistic and conversational utility.
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Whereas product updates contributed to ChatGPT’s development, Appfigures means that model dominance performed a extra important position.
Ariel Michaeli, CEO of Appfigures, famous that ChatGPT is more and more changing into a family identify and the default alternative for customers exploring AI instruments.
ChatGPT is beginning to resemble what ‘Google’ grew to become within the 2000s—a verb synonymous with AI interplay
Even with competing AI instruments like Grok or DeepSeek gaining consideration, many customers nonetheless flip to ChatGPT as a result of its robust model recognition
This model benefit presents challenges for opponents.
Rising options like Anthropic’s Claude and Manus AI have struggled to realize comparable traction, whereas Grok, backed by Elon Musk and built-in into X (previously Twitter), could have a stronger place as a result of its high-profile assist and distribution community.
Yr-over-year development
ChatGPT’s success aligns with broader developments in AI adoption.
Appfigures reported a 148% year-over-year enhance in downloads when evaluating Q1 2021 to Q1 2025, indicating rising mainstream acceptance of AI instruments.
Regardless of ChatGPT’s rise, Meta’s apps maintained a powerful presence within the high rankings.
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Alongside Instagram, Fb and WhatsApp remained within the international high 5, whereas Threads and CapCut additionally secured spots within the high 10.
TikTok’s earlier development in 2025 was partly pushed by issues over a possible U.S. ban, which prompted a surge in downloads.
Nonetheless, these issues have eased as negotiations between U.S. authorities and ByteDance, TikTok’s mum or dad firm, proceed.
Total, the highest 10 non-game apps amassed 339 million downloads in March, up from 299 million in February, reflecting heightened international app engagement.
Different main apps included Telegram, Snapchat, Meta’s Threads, and e-commerce platform Temu.
