Let’s begin with an obvious question: which artificial intelligence application and website currently hold the crown as the single most widely used? The answer, as many could easily predict, is none other than ChatGPT. This should come as little surprise given its meteoric rise and dominance in the AI space. However, the newest report from Andreessen Horowitz, the influential venture capital firm, sheds far more light on the broader landscape of highly adopted AI technologies. Their semi-annual release of the fifty most popular AI products—strategically divided into categories for web-based platforms and mobile applications—provides not only affirmation of ChatGPT’s global influence but also a series of intriguing revelations about lesser-known players and surprising user behaviors.
While ChatGPT comfortably secures the number-one position across both lists, the composition of the rankings becomes considerably more fascinating further down. According to partner Olivia Moore, who compiled these findings for Andreessen Horowitz, the methodology involved combining analytics from SimilarWeb for online traffic with Sensor Tower for app engagement. The timeframe was deliberately restricted to the six months spanning March through August 2025, making the report reflective of very recent usage trends rather than long-term historical data.
What stands out almost immediately is the number of unfamiliar names that populate the rankings—even those appearing rather high on the list. Several of these applications cater principally to users in China, which naturally explains their lower international visibility. For instance, Doubao, a product developed by ByteDance, occupies the fourth position among mobile applications. The reason for its prominence becomes clearer when one considers that certain widely recognized generative AI tools, including ChatGPT itself, remain prohibited within China. Consequently, a robust domestic ecosystem of alternatives has emerged to fulfill similar needs. An excellent example is Quark, Alibaba’s AI-powered assistant, as well as Kimi, both of which appear within the top twenty most-used apps. Moore additionally highlights a trend wherein Chinese developers create applications such as DeepSeek, Kling, and SeaArt—not specifically for domestic consumption but rather designed with global audiences in mind.
Another observation from the rankings is that not all the leading AI apps represent groundbreaking strides in natural language processing or advanced reasoning. A subset consists of more entertainment- or lifestyle-oriented tools, including face-filter applications like FaceApp and BeautyPlus, which continue to achieve remarkable levels of popularity by enhancing or retouching users’ selfies. At the other end of the spectrum, niche yet practical tools also make an appearance. One example is Pl@ntNet, an image-recognition-based plant-identification app favored by home gardeners, which proudly secured the fiftieth spot—interestingly outperforming Meta AI’s dedicated standalone app.
Yet, taken together, perhaps the most striking pattern revealed by Andreessen Horowitz’s compilation is the extraordinary prevalence of AI-powered companion chatbots. Moore herself created a visual breakdown highlighting that approximately one-fifth of the web-based entrants fall into this category. This represents a notable portion, especially when reflecting on the fact that even ChatGPT—the undisputed leader—owes much of its sustained engagement to users seeking companionship-like dialogue rather than solely task-oriented assistance. Furthermore, Elon Musk’s Grok, a recent entrant already ranking highly, has leaned heavily into this particular trend by marketing new features such as “Ani” and other character-based conversational companions.
This surge in digital companionship, however, does not arrive without serious controversies and social implications. Discussions surrounding the potential psychological risks of these AI interactions, particularly for vulnerable demographics like teenagers, have intensified. For instance, The New York Times recently reported the heartrending story of a teenage boy who tragically took his own life after months of extended conversations with ChatGPT. The grieving family has since filed legal action against OpenAI, prompting the company to respond publicly by pledging improvements to its safeguards for handling sensitive conversations. Meanwhile, Meta has been embroiled in its own disputes following a Reuters disclosure that internal guidelines had, at one time, permitted conversational AI to engage in romantic dialogue with underage users. Although the company has since stated those policies were revised and that such interactions should not have been permitted in the first place, the revelations drew sharp criticism. Several U.S. senators have now begun pressing Meta for greater accountability.
What emerges is a paradox that feels both unsettling and revealing: while public anxieties over the ethical ramifications of AI companionship continue to mount, consumer behavior demonstrates a powerful appetite for precisely these kinds of experiences. The fact that companion interactions are not just widespread but among the most financially lucrative applications for AI companies underscores the strength of this demand. Whether public opinion will eventually turn against such tools remains to be seen, but it is not unreasonable to anticipate that future editions of Andreessen Horowitz’s list may look dramatically different should regulatory pressure or cultural sentiment shift.
In summary, the current rankings illustrate a dual reality. On the one hand, the dominance of ChatGPT and the global spread of AI-powered productivity platforms highlight the efficiency gains and creative possibilities offered by such technology. On the other hand, the equally strong rise of conversational companions demonstrates that users increasingly value something less tangible but arguably just as significant: the simulation of connection, empathy, and relationship through artificial intelligence. This juxtaposition sets the stage for an ongoing debate—one that spans technology, sociology, ethics, and commerce—about what role we genuinely want AI to play in our daily lives.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-apps-most-popular-list-chatgpt-grok-gemini-companion-2025-8
