Users are mass-uninstalling ChatGPT after Pentagon deal, data shows
Users are uninstalling ChatGPT in large numbers, with removals surging 295% following OpenAI's agreement to put its technology on the US Department of War's classified network.
Uninstall data shows backlash
US app uninstalls of ChatGPT's mobile app rose 295% day-over-day on Saturday, February 28, shortly after news of the Pentagon partnership became public. This compares with the app's typical daily uninstall rate of 9% over the past month, market intelligence firm Sensor Tower reported.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. One-star reviews for the app surged 775% on Saturday, February 28, and grew another 100% on Sunday, March 1. Five-star reviews dropped by 50% during the same period, according to Sensor Tower. Mobile app removals also jumped nearly threefold in a single day.
Claude benefits from fallout
According to a report by TechCrunch, data suggests consumers are favouring rival AI company Anthropic, which refused similar terms with the Pentagon over concerns about mass surveillance and autonomous weapons.
US downloads for Anthropic's Claude jumped 37% on Friday, February 27, and 51% on Saturday, February 28. The app reached No. 1 on the US Apple App Store on Saturday and remained there as of Monday, March 2. Claude's total daily US downloads surpassed those of ChatGPT for the first time on Saturday, according to app analytics firm Appfigures.
Meanwhile, ChatGPT's downloads dropped 13% day-over-day on Saturday, February 28, and continued falling on Sunday, March 1, reversing a 14% growth trend from Friday, February 27, the day before the deal was announced.
Boycott campaign gains attention
An online campaign called QuitGPT has been gaining attention recently, calling on users to cancel their ChatGPT subscriptions. The campaign claims on its website that more than 1.5 million users have joined the boycott.
The site states: "ChatGPT takes Trump's killer robot deal. It's time to quit." The boycott urges users to stop using ChatGPT and switch to alternatives including Google's Gemini or Anthropic's Claude.
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