New data from market intelligence firm Sensor Tower reveals that ChatGPT's rapid user growth is beginning to taper off. While OpenAI's AI chatbot still dominates the market, accounting for 50% of global mobile downloads and 55% of global monthly active users, Google's Gemini is quickly gaining ground, outpacing ChatGPT in several key metrics.
Sensor Tower's findings indicate that Gemini has begun to surpass ChatGPT in terms of download growth, monthly active user (MAU) growth, and the growth of time spent within the app. This accelerated adoption rate could significantly narrow the gap between the two AI giants over time, a concern reportedly highlighted within OpenAI itself.
OpenAI's "Code Red" and Shifting Dynamics
The intensifying competition appears to be a major focus for OpenAI. A recent "code red" memo, penned by CEO Sam Altman, reportedly instructed staff to prioritize improving the company's AI products. Key areas for enhancement include personalization, reliability, and image generation, among others.
Despite the slowdown in its growth rate, both ChatGPT and Gemini continue to see substantial overall expansion. As of November 2025, ChatGPT's global monthly active users climbed by an impressive 180% year-over-year, while Gemini's MAUs were up 170% during the same period.
However, a closer look at recent trends reveals a different picture. From August to November, ChatGPT's global monthly active users grew by only about 6%, reaching approximately 810 million. This figure, according to Sensor Tower, could suggest that the AI chatbot is nearing market saturation.
In stark contrast, Google's Gemini experienced a significant surge, with its global monthly active users jumping by roughly 30% during the same three-month period. This rapid increase is largely attributed to the release of its new image generation model, Nano Banana.
Gemini's Strategic Advantages and Market Share Gains
Gemini is also leveraging a crucial competitive advantage: its deep integration with the Android operating system. The report notes that approximately twice as many U.S. Android users now engage with Gemini directly through the OS rather than via the standalone mobile app. Given Android's global dominance, this integration allows Gemini to reach users beyond a dedicated app or web interface, potentially boosting its global market position.
Analyzing the broader AI chatbot market, which includes rivals like Copilot, Claude, Perplexity, and Grok, Gemini has steadily increased its share of global monthly active users by 3 percentage points over the past seven months (May-November 2025). Conversely, ChatGPT's share of global MAUs dropped by 3 percentage points over the last four months (August-November 2025).
The competitive landscape is further complicated by the strong performance of other players. Perplexity and Claude both recorded triple-digit growth for their respective chatbots in 2025, with Perplexity up 370% year-over-year and Claude up 190%.
Downloads and User Engagement Trends
In terms of downloads, ChatGPT saw an 85% year-over-year increase as of November, but this figure lagged behind the overall cohort's average growth of 110%. Perplexity and Gemini led the pack in download growth, with increases of 215% and 190% year-over-year, respectively.
User engagement metrics also highlight Gemini's momentum. Sensor Tower reports that the average time spent in the Gemini app has more than doubled in recent months. As of November, Gemini users were spending 11 minutes per day in the app, a 120% increase since March. This surge is largely linked to the popularity of its Nano Banana image generation model, released in September.
In contrast, ChatGPT users' daily time spent increased by only 6% during the same period. Furthermore, ChatGPT users' time spent in the app was down 10% in November compared to July.
While the current data suggests Google is rapidly catching up to the market leader, much of its recent success is tied to specific product enhancements like Nano Banana. For OpenAI to reignite its growth, similar impactful product releases and innovations may be necessary.
