ChatGPT, the popular AI chatbot platform developed by OpenAI, experienced a decline in traffic for the first time since its launch last year. According to data from Similarweb, worldwide traffic to the site dropped by 9.7% in June, while unique visitor numbers fell by 5.7%. Additionally, the amount of time users spent on the site continued to decrease, with an 8.5% fall in May.
This decline comes as a surprise, considering ChatGPT’s rapid growth in the past. It became the fastest-adopted internet app when it reached 100 million monthly active users in January, surpassing popular apps like TikTok and Instagram. However, Similarweb has stated that the online version of ChatGPT is no longer on track to become the most-visited website worldwide, which would have meant surpassing Google.
Despite the decrease in user numbers, OpenAI and its backers, including Microsoft, are unlikely to be concerned. This is because OpenAI allows other companies to embed its generative AI technology in their own applications. Companies such as Duolingo, Coca-Cola, Slack, Octopus Energy, and Chegg have already integrated ChatGPT into their platforms.
It is worth noting that the ChatGPT site still receives more visitors worldwide through desktop and mobile browsers compared to bing.com (Microsoft’s search engine) or Character.AI (the second most popular stand-alone AI chatbot site). However, even Character.AI experienced a decline in traffic volume in June, with a drop of 32% month-on-month.
Google, which may have felt outmaneuvered by OpenAI and Microsoft’s successful launch, recently announced that its DeepMind arm is developing an AI system called Gemini. Google expects Gemini to surpass ChatGPT in terms of capabilities and help respond to the competitive threat.
While the decline in user numbers may raise questions about ChatGPT’s future growth, OpenAI’s focus on making its generative AI technology available to other companies suggests that the platform is still poised for success. Additionally, the emergence of competitors like Gemini indicates a continuous innovation race in the AI chatbot market.
