The first half of 2025 has seen generative AI downloads maintain strong growth . According to the latest report from market intelligence firm Sensor Tower, global GenAI app downloads reached 1.7 billion from January to June, with in-app purchase revenue nearing $1.9 billion and user engagement exceeding 15.6 billion hours. These figures nearly doubled compared to the second half of 2024. ChatGPT remains the market leader, but emerging AI apps like DeepSeek are rapidly gaining ground, particularly in the Asian market.
Key Data on Generative AI Downloads
In the first half of 2025, the global generative AI app market experienced explosive growth. Downloads hit 1.7 billion, a 70% increase from 1 billion in the second half of 2024. In-app revenue grew even faster, surging from $932 million to $1.87 billion—a 100% jump. User engagement also saw a significant rise, climbing from 8.5 billion hours to 15.6 billion hours, an 84% increase. Additionally, global interactions with AI apps (total sessions) reached a staggering 426 billion, demonstrating AI’s deep integration into daily life.
This growth trend indicates that GenAI is no longer just a “novelty tool” but is increasingly becoming a core part of users’ digital lives. From content creation and programming assistance to health advice and shopping decisions, AI is transforming how people access information and complete tasks.
Image Credits:Sensor Tower
Generative AI Downloads Regional Performance Analysis
Asia saw the fastest growth, accounting for 42.6% of global downloads, with India and mainland China leading the way at an 80% growth rate. This surge is linked to rising smartphone penetration and improved localization of AI services. For example, China’s DeepSeek quickly became the domestic download leader after its early 2025 launch, briefly surpassing ChatGPT.
North America, while growing slower in downloads, had the strongest monetization, contributing 40% of global revenue. Latin America saw the fastest revenue growth, though its overall share remains small. Europe maintained steady growth, particularly in enterprise AI applications.
Image Credits:Sensor Tower
Reasons Behind the Growth of Generative AI Downloads
The rapid expansion of the GenAI market is driven by four key factors: technological advancements, expanding demand, optimized marketing strategies, and device accessibility.
- Improved Model Capabilities: New models like GPT-4o and DeepSeek-R1, launched in 2025, significantly enhanced AI response speed and accuracy, improving user experience.
- Broader Use Cases: AI is no longer limited to “copywriting and coding” but now covers daily life scenarios like health consultations, shopping recommendations, and travel planning, attracting a wider user base.
- Smarter Marketing: Data shows that apps with keywords like “AI” or “LLM” in their names or descriptions saw short-term download spikes, though long-term retention still depends on product quality.
- Device Accessibility: Improved performance of mid-to-low-end smartphones allows users in emerging markets to run AI apps smoothly, driving growth in Asia and Latin America.
Why ChatGPT Still Leads
Despite increasing competition, ChatGPT remains the top GenAI app globally. On average, users open ChatGPT 12 days per month—a frequency close to social platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit, trailing only giants like Google. Daily usage averages 16 minutes, nearing the 18.2 minutes spent on traditional browsers/search engines.
Over a third of ChatGPT queries focus on health, shopping, finance, and entertainment, showing AI’s shift from a specialized tool to a mass-market service. Additionally, ChatGPT has high cross-platform usage, with over 15% of U.S. users accessing both the mobile app and web version—higher than apps like Temu and Threads but still below Google and YouTube.
Image Credits:Sensor Tower
Notably, China is an exception. With DeepSeek’s rise, ChatGPT’s dominance in the local market has been challenged. In February 2025, DeepSeek topped the App Store charts in 157 countries/regions and surpassed ChatGPT in downloads within China.
Conclusion: Generative AI is Now a Digital Life Essential
In the first half of 2025, the generative AI market continued its rapid growth. ChatGPT remains the global leader, but emerging apps like DeepSeek are gaining traction in key markets like China. Asia leads in growth, while North America dominates monetization. As AI technology matures and use cases expand, GenAI is evolving from a “novelty tool” into a core component of digital life. Moving forward, competition will intensify, with user experience and localization likely becoming decisive factors.
