In a recent report by The Washington Post, it was revealed that the widely popular AI chatbot, ChatGPT from OpenAI, has started experiencing a decline in user numbers. Information from the data company Similarweb indicated a near 10 percent drop in both mobile and desktop traffic for ChatGPT globally, between May and June. Sensor Tower, another analytics firm, also disclosed a gradual fall in downloads for ChatGPT’s iPhone app since a high in early June.
The Washington Post suggests that this could indicate a decreasing interest in AI chatbots and other similar technologies, even as tech firms are heavily investing in AI product development.
ChatGPT, which broke records earlier this year by attracting the fastest-growing user base ever, has been the model many tech firms, including Google, have sought to emulate. However, as Ars Technica pointed out, the rapid adoption of technology has generally accelerated over recent decades. The success of ChatGPT may have been less about widespread interest in chatbots and more about its newness, which may be diminishing.
This week, Meta released a Twitter competitor named Threads. Despite its design flaws and significant privacy issues, Threads effortlessly surpassed ChatGPT’s record as the fastest-growing consumer app. CNBC reported that while it took ChatGPT two months to reach 100 million users, Threads achieved 70 million users in under two days, without relying on any groundbreaking AI features.
Yet, it remains uncertain if the 10 percent drop in ChatGPT users over a single summer month should be cause for concern for tech companies investing heavily in chatbots.
Potential factors for ChatGPT’s user decrease suggested by The Post include a possible decline in the chatbot’s quality due to increased operational costs and OpenAI’s cost-reducing adjustments. The seasonality of academic needs could also play a part as there are fewer students writing papers during the summer.
However, issues around user sentiment could also be impacting the chatbot. This includes a recent lawsuit and an increased number of corporations, including Apple, cautioning employees against using tools like ChatGPT due to privacy concerns.
OpenAI’s measures to censor harmful ChatGPT responses in reaction to user backlash and regulatory pressure may have also contributed to users leaving the platform, perhaps perceiving it as less valuable, reliable, or engaging.
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