ChatGPT reaches 1 billion monthly active users, fastest app ever to hit milestone

Jun 2, 2026

OpenAI's ChatGPT has become the fastest app in history to reach 1 billion monthly active users, hitting the milestone in about three years. The achievement, reported by Sensor Tower, highlights generative AI's rapid mainstream adoption and intensifies competition. Rival Anthropic's Claude is growing faster year-over-year, and both companies are reportedly preparing for initial public offerings in the near future.

ChatGPT 1 billion user milestone

▪The user data was provided by market intelligence firm Sensor Tower.
▪The milestone highlights generative AI's shift from a niche technology to a mainstream tool for tasks in education, business, and healthcare.
▪OpenAI launched ChatGPT in November 2022.
▪OpenAI's ChatGPT surpassed 1 billion global monthly active app users in May.

AI assistant adoption speed comparison

▪ChatGPT reached 1 billion MAUs in roughly three years, while apps like Google Maps and TikTok took five to eight years.
▪ChatGPT is the fastest consumer application in history to reach the 1 billion monthly active user milestone.

Claude user growth rate

▪ChatGPT's growth has intensified competition from rivals like Google's Gemini, Microsoft's Copilot, and Elon Musk's xAI Grok.
▪Claude's year-over-year monthly active user growth was about 640%, compared to ChatGPT's 62%.
▪As of the second quarter to date, competitor Anthropic's Claude had 56 million global monthly active app users.

ChatGPT user attention shift

▪The 5% reduction in time spent was measured against each user's average over the previous eight months.
▪U.S. ChatGPT users who installed Anthropic's Claude app in Q1 2026 spent 5% less time on ChatGPT one month later.

OpenAI IPO filing

▪Reuters reported that OpenAI is also preparing to file for an IPO in the coming weeks.
▪OpenAI is expanding its commercial offerings, enterprise products, and international footprint.
▪Anthropic confidentially filed for a U.S. initial public offering on June 1, 2026.