ChatGPT, the widely used chatbot powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4 technology, has recently experienced a drop in user traffic and engagement. This decline marks the first decrease since the chatbot’s launch and has raised questions about its future success.
According to Similarweb, an internet analytics firm, ChatGPT’s global website traffic declined by 9.7% in June 2023. This decrease is noteworthy, as it is the first time that the chatbot has seen a decline in user visits since becoming available to the public in November 2022. Similarly, Sensor Tower, an app tracking company, reported a drop in downloads of ChatGPT’s iOS app after reaching a peak earlier in June.
Interestingly, ChatGPT’s decline in popularity is part of a broader trend within the industry. Similarweb’s data reveals that other AI chatbots, including Microsoft Bing, Google Bard, and Character.AI, have also experienced a reduction in visits to their desktop and mobile websites in recent months. Microsoft Bing, for instance, observed a surge in traffic between February and March 2023 when it was released in public preview. However, the traffic has steadily declined since then, returning to nearly pre-GPT-4 levels after Microsoft revamped Bing.
Additionally, Similarweb’s data shows a decrease in ChatGPT engagement, with a decline of 8.5% in user minutes as of May 2023. This suggests that users are spending less time interacting with the chatbot compared to earlier periods.
Several factors may contribute to the decline in ChatGPT usage. One possible element, as suggested by The Washington Post, could be the end of the school year. With college students on summer break, there may be fewer young adults utilizing ChatGPT for academic purposes, such as writing papers.
Another potential reason could be restrictions placed by certain companies on the use of AI chatbots by their employees due to concerns regarding data breaches. Samsung, for example, recently banned its employees from using ChatGPT and similar chatbots for work-related communication.
Despite the decline in user traffic and engagement, OpenAI, the research lab behind ChatGPT, has yet to comment on the situation. However, it is unlikely that the lab is alarmed by the developments. In fact, OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, has previously emphasized that operating the public version of ChatGPT comes at a significant cost for the organization. He also stated that the primary purpose of ChatGPT is to demonstrate the capabilities of GPT-4 and collect user feedback. Therefore, OpenAI may not be overly concerned if fewer individuals are using the chatbot, as long as they continue to learn and improve their technology through it.
