In 2025, global spending on non-game mobile apps exceeded game app revenue for the first time, totaling approximately $85 billion, up 21% year-over-year. Sensor Tower’s annual “State of Mobile” report attributes the milestone to the rapid adoption of generative AI apps, whose in-app purchase revenue more than tripled to over $5 billion.
Downloads of AI apps doubled to 3.8 billion, with the top 10 most downloaded apps—all AI assistants—led by OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and DeepSeek. ChatGPT alone generated $3.4 billion in revenue. Users spent 48 billion hours in AI apps, 3.6 times the 2024 total, and session volume surpassed one trillion, indicating deepening engagement among existing users.
Market share among AI publishers shifted as OpenAI and DeepSeek accounted for nearly 50% of downloads, while big tech companies grew from 14% to 30%, challenging smaller competitors. Sensor Tower estimates the AI assistant audience in the U.S. exceeded 200 million, with more than half accessing these services exclusively via mobile.
Other AI apps, including Suno, Jimeng AI, and Character.ai, also contributed to growth, alongside social media, streaming, and productivity apps.
