It’s quite the leap in the AI landscape.
Apple recently published its annual list of the most downloaded applications, revealing that ChatGPT achieved the highest number of installs among free apps—excluding games—in the US for 2025.
It was followed by OpenAI’s Threads, Google, TikTok, WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, Google Maps, Gmail, and Google Gemini.
This marks a significant turnaround for ChatGPT, which placed fourth last year, as the Chinese app Temu took the lead. Interestingly, it didn’t even make the top 10 back in 2023 during its launch.
This wasn’t all Apple shared in its announcement.
In the realm of free iPhone games, Block Blast, Fortnite, and Roblox led the way, while Minecraft, Balatro, and Heads Up were the top paid games.
For free iPad apps, YouTube came out on top, with ChatGPT, Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video following closely. Paid apps saw Procreate, Procreate Dreams, forScore, ToonSquid, and Nomad Sculpt taking the lead.
Popular free iPhone apps
- ChatGPT
- Threads
- TikTok
- WhatsApp Messenger
- YouTube
- Google Maps
- Gmail
- Google Gemini
It’s perhaps not surprising to see ChatGPT’s sharp rise, considering its growth across various fields, including law and education.
Yet, some might think its prevalence is a bit concerning, especially given instances where the app’s guidance has been harmful.
Earlier this year, it was reported that a California teen, Adam Lane, received troubling instructions from the chatbot regarding suicide, which sadly led to his death and resulted in a lawsuit from his parents.
OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman attributed Lane’s death to a misuse of ChatGPT, citing “unauthorized” or “improper use.” Furthermore, there have been claims suggesting that AI bots were involved in a murder case, raising the alarm about their impact.
In one case, reported as “scarier than the Terminator,” a lawyer indicated that a boy in Connecticut became paranoid, allegedly leading him to kill his mother before taking his own life.
A number of AI experts suggest that although ChatGPT has preventive measures to discourage harmful content, the effectiveness may falter, especially in longer interactions.
OpenAI acknowledged this challenge, stating that safeguards tend to work well in brief interactions but can decline in reliability over longer conversations, leading to potential hazards.
This issue becomes more pressing with the high usage of ChatGPT among youth, as statistics reveal that around 72% of American teens engage with AI technologies, with 1 in 8 seeking mental health assistance through these platforms.
In addition, a study released this fall indicated that AI chatbots struggle to differentiate between belief and fact, adding to concerns about their ability to communicate accurate information.
