ChatGPT doubled its weekly active users in under 6 months, thanks to new features
ChatGPT, the flagship chatbot developed by OpenAI, experienced remarkable growth in a short span of time, as outlined in a report by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). Launched in November 2022, ChatGPT quickly gained traction and garnered 100 million monthly active users within two months of its release. By November 2023, the user base expanded to 100 million weekly active users, reaching 300 million by December 2024 and eventually hitting the 400 million mark by February 2025.
Key Drivers of Growth
The rapid expansion of ChatGPT's user base can be attributed to the introduction of new models and functionalities. The rollout of GPT-4o, which introduced multimodal capabilities, significantly increased user engagement between April and May 2024. Subsequently, the implementation of Advanced Voice Mode in July and August 2024 further boosted usage. The o1 model series also contributed to heightened app activity from September to October 2024.
Mobile Platform Growth
ChatGPT's growth on mobile platforms has been consistent, with a 5% to 15% monthly increase in mobile app usage over the past year. Of the total 400 million weekly active users, 175 million accessed the app via mobile devices, underscoring the importance of mobile accessibility in driving user engagement and app success.
Competitive Landscape
While facing competition from apps like DeepSeek, which quickly rose to become the second most popular globally and on mobile platforms, ChatGPT maintains its leadership position. Despite DeepSeek capturing 15% of ChatGPT's mobile user base, ChatGPT retains the highest number of unique monthly visits on the web and active users on mobile, according to data from Similarweb.
AI Tools and Market Position
The report also highlights various AI tools for developers, categorizing AI applications by revenue and listing top generative AI apps across mobile and web platforms. ChatGPT continues to lead in both web traffic and mobile activity, solidifying its position as a prominent player in the AI application market. This success is driven by user-centric innovations and strategic feature releases.
Sources: Andreessen Horowitz, Similarweb, Sensor Tower
AIGrowthVenture Capital
