ChatGPT hits 1 billion monthly active users

OpenAI's ChatGPT reached one billion monthly active app users in May, about three‑and‑a‑half years after its November 2022 launch, making it the fastest app to hit that milestone. The growth outpaced platforms such as Google Maps, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, according to market‑intelligence firm Sensor Tower.

Competitor AI tools are also expanding quickly: Anthropic's Claude saw a 640 % year‑over‑year increase and Meta AI grew 973 %. Both OpenAI and Anthropic filed for initial public offerings in the United States this month, underscoring the sector’s financial momentum.

Amid the surge, concerns about AI’s societal impact persist, with university graduates and workers citing job‑displacement and ethical worries. Nonetheless, adoption remains strong; a Boston Consulting Group survey found 74 % of frontline employees now use AI regularly, with over 40 % saying it saves them a full workday each week. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development projects the global AI market could reach $4.8 trillion by 2033.