ChatGPT Experiences Decrease in User Numbers in June

OpenAI’s chatbot, ChatGPT, which experienced a rapid surge in popularity in late 2022 and early 2023, seems to be losing momentum. Recent data from internet analytics firm Similarweb, shared with The Washington Post, indicates that global mobile and desktop traffic to ChatGPT’s website dropped by 9.7 percent last month. If Similarweb’s data is accurate, this decline would be the first time the chatbot has witnessed a decrease in users. Additionally, in June, app tracker Sensor Tower observed a decline in downloads of ChatGPT’s iOS client after reaching a peak earlier in the month. OpenAI has not yet responded to ReturnByte’s request for comment.

The declining interest in ChatGPT appears to be part of an industry trend. Figures from peer networks show fewer people visiting the desktop and mobile sites of Microsoft Bing, Google Bard and Character.AI in recent months. For example, Microsoft saw its search engine traffic increase in February and March when Bing AI became available in public preview. Since then, the website’s monthly traffic has steadily declined, returning to nearly the same level it was before Microsoft restructured Bing around GPT-4. ChatGPT engagement declined separately, with user minutes down 8.5 percent in May 2023, according to Similar Web.

As for what could be causing the decline, The Post suggests the end of the school year may have something to do with it. Most students are on summer vacation, so many young adults aren’t using ChatGPT to write papers. Another reason could be that companies like Samsung forbid their employees from using AI chatbots for fear of real data leakage. Whatever the reason for the decline, you can bet no one at OpenAI is panicking. The research lab is probably happy to see fewer people using the public version of ChatGPT. CEO Sam Altman has said the service will pay OpenAI an “eye-popping” amount.