ChatGPT’s AI market share drops below 50% as Gemini and Claude gain users
According to analytics firm Sensor Tower’s State of AI Report for 2026, Gemini held an estimated 28% share of the AI assistant market, while Claude's share rose to 10%.
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ChatGPT may still be the world's most popular AI assistant, but rivals such as Google's Gemini and Anthropic's Claude are steadily eating into its dominance. According to analytics firm Sensor Tower’s State of AI Report for 2026, OpenAI’s chatbot became the fastest mobile app ever to reach one billion monthly active users.
ChatGPT reached this milestone in May 2016, just three years after its launch. No other app, including TikTok, YouTube, Instagram or WhatsApp, reached the mark as quickly, underlining how rapidly AI has entered the mainstream.
The decline comes as competitors continue to gain ground. Google Gemini has expanded rapidly while Anthropic's Claude has also recorded strong growth this year.
By May 2026, Gemini held an estimated 28% share of the AI assistant market, while Claude's share rose to 10%. In the United States, Claude's growth has been even stronger, with its market share climbing from around 5% in December 2025 to nearly 14% by May 2026.
ChatGPT's early launch helped it build a substantial lead in the AI assistant market, though competitors such as Gemini and Claude have narrowed the gap in recent months. The competing AI assistants have carved out their own audiences by offering different features and user experiences.
Google Gemini has expanded its audience with the help of its strong Android user base and integration across Google's ecosystem, while Claude has gained users through its coding and deep research capabilities. These approaches have helped both platforms expand their audiences despite ChatGPT's early lead.
The report also suggests that AI users remain willing to experiment with multiple assistants rather than relying on a single platform. While ChatGPT continues to lead in downloads and overall audience size, the gap between it and rivals has narrowed considerably over the past year.
Many users who removed ChatGPT from their devices appeared to move to Claude after Anthropic declined a partnership with the Pentagon. During March 1–5, Claude briefly surpassed ChatGPT in daily downloads, although ChatGPT regained the lead afterwards. However, the gap between the two platforms remained much smaller than before.
Although ChatGPT remains the largest AI assistant by audience size, rivals are making gains through premium offerings. Sensor Tower said AI users are increasingly paying for professional and business-focused features.
Consumer spending on generative AI apps is projected to exceed $4 billion in the first half of 2026, driven by a shift towards professional and utility-driven use cases.
Claude, in particular, has benefited from its emphasis on research and coding tools, with its average monthly revenue per user climbing from under $0.50 in September 2025 to $2.76 by May 2026. Perplexity and Grok have also recorded growth in premium subscribers and user spending.
“ChatGPT, which was among the first GenAI apps to successfully monetise through in-app purchases, has delivered steadier growth in recent months,” the report said.
ChatGPT reached this milestone in May 2016, just three years after its launch. No other app, including TikTok, YouTube, Instagram or WhatsApp, reached the mark as quickly, underlining how rapidly AI has entered the mainstream.
Despite maintaining the largest user base, ChatGPT's share of the global AI assistant market has fallen below 50% for the first time. Sensor Tower's ‘True Audience’ data, which tracks users across web and mobile app, found that ChatGPT accounted for 46% of the market in May 2026, down from its earlier dominance.
The decline comes as competitors continue to gain ground. Google Gemini has expanded rapidly while Anthropic's Claude has also recorded strong growth this year.
By May 2026, Gemini held an estimated 28% share of the AI assistant market, while Claude's share rose to 10%. In the United States, Claude's growth has been even stronger, with its market share climbing from around 5% in December 2025 to nearly 14% by May 2026.
ChatGPT's early launch helped it build a substantial lead in the AI assistant market, though competitors such as Gemini and Claude have narrowed the gap in recent months. The competing AI assistants have carved out their own audiences by offering different features and user experiences.
Google Gemini has expanded its audience with the help of its strong Android user base and integration across Google's ecosystem, while Claude has gained users through its coding and deep research capabilities. These approaches have helped both platforms expand their audiences despite ChatGPT's early lead.
The report also suggests that AI users remain willing to experiment with multiple assistants rather than relying on a single platform. While ChatGPT continues to lead in downloads and overall audience size, the gap between it and rivals has narrowed considerably over the past year.
Many users who removed ChatGPT from their devices appeared to move to Claude after Anthropic declined a partnership with the Pentagon. During March 1–5, Claude briefly surpassed ChatGPT in daily downloads, although ChatGPT regained the lead afterwards. However, the gap between the two platforms remained much smaller than before.
Although ChatGPT remains the largest AI assistant by audience size, rivals are making gains through premium offerings. Sensor Tower said AI users are increasingly paying for professional and business-focused features.
Consumer spending on generative AI apps is projected to exceed $4 billion in the first half of 2026, driven by a shift towards professional and utility-driven use cases.
Claude, in particular, has benefited from its emphasis on research and coding tools, with its average monthly revenue per user climbing from under $0.50 in September 2025 to $2.76 by May 2026. Perplexity and Grok have also recorded growth in premium subscribers and user spending.
“ChatGPT, which was among the first GenAI apps to successfully monetise through in-app purchases, has delivered steadier growth in recent months,” the report said.
(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)
First Published: Jun 17, 2026 3:32 PM IST
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