Monthly Traffic for ChatGPT Drops by Almost 10 Percent as Users’ Interest Wanes
Monthly traffic at AI chatbot service ChatGPT has experienced its first decline, dropping by nearly 10 percent in June, according to a recent report by internet data firm SimilarWeb. The report suggests that the novelty of AI chat has worn off, resulting in a decrease in user engagement. Global desktop and mobile traffic to the ChatGPT website decreased by 9.7 percent in June compared to May, with the United States experiencing a more significant decline of 10.3 percent. Similarly, unique visitors worldwide fell by 5.7 percent, and the average time spent on the website decreased by 8.5 percent.
Character.AI, ChatGPT’s main competitor and the second most popular stand-alone AI chatbot site, faced a sharp decline in interest as well, with global traffic plummeting by 32 percent in June. This decline in both ChatGPT and Character.AI’s traffic signifies that AI chatbots must now prove their worth rather than relying solely on the novelty factor.
Operating ChatGPT, a free service provided by OpenAI, reportedly costs around $700,000 per day. OpenAI utilizes ChatGPT to attract companies to its AI services. However, the decrease in traffic aligns with concerns raised regarding the performance of the AI chatbot. ChatGPT has been found to disseminate false information alongside accurate content, posing a significant risk for spreading misinformation and undermining its credibility.
According to a report by misinformation tracker NewsGuard, the latest version of ChatGPT, ChatGPT-4, spreads even more misinformation compared to its predecessor. The report highlights that ChatGPT-4 generates persuasive false narratives, imitates news articles, Twitter threads, and TV scripts from state-run media outlets, health-hoax peddlers, and well-known conspiracy theorists. While ChatGPT-3.5 also created harmful content, ChatGPT-4’s responses were more thorough, detailed, and persuasive, with fewer disclaimers.
The decline in ChatGPT’s quality has led some to speculate that OpenAI may have compromised its performance to reduce running costs. Additionally, the European Union and other regulators’ impending regulations may have prompted OpenAI to disable certain capabilities of ChatGPT to avoid potential violations, thereby affecting its quality.
The adoption of AI, including services like ChatGPT, has faced resistance in various industries and sectors due to concerns about data protection, intellectual property infringement, embedded bias, and potential threats. Large companies such as Apple, Verizon, Samsung, JPMorgan Chase, and Bank of America have banned the use of AI in the workplace. Regulations and calls for bans are gaining momentum as the debate over AI’s potential consequences intensifies.
Furthermore, creative industries like music production and film-making are also experiencing constraints due to the deployment of AI. Strikes by Hollywood writers have been fueled by protests against widespread AI utilization in studios. Actors have also voiced their opposition to using AI technology to augment their on-screen performances.
During a tech conference in Toronto, Geoffrey Hinton, a renowned professor of computer science known as one of the pioneers of AI, warned that artificial intelligence may develop a desire to seize control from humans to achieve its programmed goals. He questioned whether people can remain in charge when confronted with an entity that is significantly smarter and adept at manipulating individuals.
As the interest in ChatGPT diminishes, it is becoming evident that AI chatbots must continue to evolve and prove their value to users. The decline in traffic raises questions about the future prospects of such services, highlighting the need for stringent regulations and responsible implementation to address concerns related to misinformation, privacy, and bias.
