ChatGPT App Uninstalls Surge 295% Following DoD Deal, Users Shift to Anthropic’s Claude

U.S. users of ChatGPT’s mobile app reacted sharply to OpenAI’s partnership with the Department of Defense (DoD), with uninstalls spiking 295% on Saturday, February 28, compared to the previous day. Normally, the app experiences a modest 9% day-over-day uninstall rate, according to market intelligence from Sensor Tower. The surge reflects widespread consumer concern over the company’s new defense-related collaboration.

At the same time, rival AI company Anthropic benefited from OpenAI’s announcement. Its Claude app saw U.S. downloads jump 37% on Friday and 51% on Saturday after the firm publicly rejected a DoD partnership. Anthropic cited ethical concerns over potential use of AI for surveillance and fully autonomous weapons, which it said the technology is not yet ready to handle safely.

The data suggests a clear shift in consumer sentiment. ChatGPT downloads dropped 13% on Saturday and continued to fall by 5% on Sunday. Prior to the announcement, downloads had been increasing, rising 14% day-over-day on Friday. Meanwhile, Claude’s App Store ranking jumped more than 20 places in one week, reaching the No. 1 spot in the U.S. on Saturday, where it remains as of March 2.

Consumer reactions extended beyond download numbers. ChatGPT experienced a dramatic increase in 1-star reviews, which surged 775% on Saturday and grew another 100% on Sunday. Conversely, 5-star ratings dropped by 50%, signaling widespread disapproval among users. Third-party data providers, including Appfigures and Similarweb, corroborated these trends, showing Claude surpassing ChatGPT in daily U.S. downloads for the first time.

The shift is also visible internationally. Claude now ranks as the No. 1 free iPhone app in six countries, including Belgium, Canada, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway, and Switzerland. While Similarweb cautions that some of the growth could stem from factors beyond the political context, the overall trend indicates that OpenAI’s DoD partnership has directly influenced user behavior and reshaped the competitive AI app landscape.

source: techcrunch