ChatGPT Growth Slows as Uninstalls Surge, Raising Pressure on OpenAI

Overview

• Sensor Tower data shows ChatGPT app uninstalls rose 132% year over year in April, after a 413% spike in March that followed backlash to OpenAI’s Pentagon contract.
• Monthly active‑user growth cooled from 168% in January to 78% in April, even as ChatGPT kept a lead with more than 60% of active users in the market.
• Rival Anthropic’s Claude saw far faster traction, with downloads up about 11 times year over year compared with a 14% lift for ChatGPT over the same period.
• The Wall Street Journal reports OpenAI missed internal targets for new users and revenue, and CFO Sarah Friar warned growth must improve to cover future computing commitments.
• Reports say OpenAI has expanded in‑app advertising, with ad exposure reaching about 14% of users by late April from roughly 1% in March, and the company is exploring ads and a lower‑priced $8 ‘ChatGPT Go’ plan to boost revenue.