According to the analytics firm Appfigures, in March, ChatGPT emerged as the most downloaded app worldwide, surpassing Instagram and TikTok, which typically held the top spots in global rankings.

As reported by Appfigures (via TechCrunch), downloads of ChatGPT surged by 28% compared to February, reaching 46 million new installations. This marks the highest monthly total for ChatGPT in its history.

One of the factors contributing to its popularity was the updates to the app's features, particularly improvements in image generation that allowed users to create memes and illustrations in the Studio Ghibli style. Additionally, OpenAI enhanced the voice feature of ChatGPT and lifted some content moderation restrictions. The app's popularity also increased due to its recognizability: ChatGPT has become synonymous with artificial intelligence, similar to how Google was associated with search in the 2000s.

In March, social apps Facebook and WhatsApp also made it to the top five in downloads, while others like Temu, CapCut, Telegram, Snapchat, and Threads entered the top ten.

Overall, in March, the top 10 apps were downloaded 339 million times, exceeding February's total of 299 million.