In a surprising turn of events, recently released Sensor Tower data revealed that ChatGPT’s growth has started to slow down, outpaced by Google Gemini.
The OpenAI chatbot leads the AI app market, making up 50% of global mobile installations and 55% of global monthly active users (MAUs).
Gemini's faster adoption could assist Gemini bridge the gap, something the ChatGPT manufacturer is concerned about, as reflected in a recent “code red” memo from CEO Sam Altman urging enhancements in technology.
Both apps continue strong progress overall. ChatGPT’s global MAUs significantly increased 180% year-over-year in November 2025, while Gemini showed growth of 170%.
However, ChatGPT’s MAUs only increased 6% from August-November, reaching nearly 810 million, indicating possible market saturation.
Gemini’s MAUs, boosted by its Nano Banana image generator, surged around 30% in the same period.
Furthermore, Gemini benefits from deep incorporation into Android, with twice as many Android users across US are using Gemini via the OS instead of the standalone app.
Notably, Gemini gained three percentage points in global MAU share from May to November 2025, ChatGPT’s share sharply declined by three points from August-November.
Other AI companies, including Claude and Perplexity showed strong gains.
Installations show a similar trend: ChatGPT’s grew 85% year-over-year, below the 110% category average, while Perplexity and Gemini increased 215% and 190%.
Gemini kept users engaged by Nano Banana, prompting users to double their daily time spent, while ChatGPT’s time only saw a slight increase and dipped in November.
