ChatGPT Hits 100 Million Users in Record Time, Rattling Google
OpenAI's ChatGPT reportedly reaches 100 million monthly active users just two months after its public launch, significantly outpacing TikTok and Instagram. The rapid growth prompts Google to accelerate its own AI development efforts.
A new study by analytics firm UBS reveals that ChatGPT is on pace to reach over 100 million monthly active users in January, achieving this milestone in just two months. The OpenAI chatbot, which launches to the public on November 30th, averages around 13 million individual visitors a day. This unprecedented growth easily outpaces TikTok, which takes nine months to reach 100 million users, and Instagram, which requires two-and-a-half years to hit the same mark.
The chatbot's ability to provide natural-sounding, human-like responses makes it incredibly popular, though educators worry about its potential for student cheating. Despite known accuracy issues that lead to biased or factually incorrect content, no other public chatbot currently offers comparable capabilities. The technology causes such a major stir that Google's executives declare a "code red," accelerating the tech giant's AI development to showcase 20 AI products this year.
While ChatGPT remains free to use, OpenAI begins testing a paid subscription plan for $20 a month that promises faster response times and priority access to new features. Analysts note that the immediate future question is whether the chatbot can maintain this massive level of interest or if the current surge is simply curious users coming to take a look. OpenAI clearly intends to monetize its creation while keeping a free tier available to the public.