In a significant shift in the global app landscape, OpenAI’s ChatGPT has overtaken TikTok and Instagram to become the most downloaded app worldwide in March 2025. According to data from AppFigures, ChatGPT amassed a staggering 46 million combined downloads across both iOS and Android platforms, signaling a major milestone in the growing adoption of AI-powered applications by everyday users.
The unprecedented surge in ChatGPT’s popularity was largely fueled by a viral trend known as the “Studio Ghibli” challenge, which swept across social media platforms most notably TikTok and Instagram. This creative movement saw users generating AI-powered images in the dreamy, fantastical style of Studio Ghibli, the legendary Japanese animation studio behind classics like Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and Howl’s Moving Castle. The trend captured the imagination of millions, turning ChatGPT’s image-generation capabilities into a cultural phenomenon virtually overnight.
As users began posting their whimsical AI-generated creations, interest in ChatGPT skyrocketed. Many were fascinated by how easily they could generate intricate, emotionally evocative visuals using just a few words of text. With tutorials and reaction videos going viral, the challenge quickly turned into a global trend, encouraging more people to download the app and join the movement.
ChatGPT’s generative image tools introduced as part of its “Pro” experience allowed users to produce stylized visuals with remarkable ease. Whether creating fantasy forests, ethereal skies, or anime-inspired characters, users could craft scenes that looked like they were pulled straight from a Studio Ghibli film. The simplicity and accessibility of the feature played a crucial role in attracting a younger demographic, many of whom were already active on visual platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
TikTok itself was not far behind ChatGPT in March’s app rankings, garnering 45 million downloads. Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp followed closely, maintaining their positions as dominant social platforms. However, the fact that an AI tool could overtake entertainment giants like TikTok and Instagram for the top spot is a testament to how the internet’s focus is shifting—from passive scrolling to active, AI-powered creativity.
Industry analysts say ChatGPT’s meteoric rise isn’t just a fluke or a one-off trend. Rather, it’s indicative of a broader shift in digital behavior. As artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into our daily lives, users are seeking out tools that allow them to co-create with machines rather than simply consume content.
“People aren’t just using AI for work or academic help anymore they’re using it to express themselves creatively,” said an analyst at AppFigures. “This trend with the Ghibli-style images is just one example of how generative AI is becoming a playground for imagination, especially among Gen Z and Millennials.”
ChatGPT’s success in March also highlights OpenAI’s successful pivot from being primarily a chatbot to becoming a multi-modal platform offering text, image, and soon, video capabilities. Its integration of visual generation tools into a familiar chat interface has lowered the barrier to entry for users who might have previously found AI technology intimidating or too technical.
OpenAI continues to roll out new features for ChatGPT, including collaborative brainstorming tools, more customizable outputs, and advanced prompt suggestions for art and design. These additions are helping solidify ChatGPT as not just a utility, but a platform for creativity, learning, and entertainment.
While TikTok and Instagram remain titans in the social media space, the momentum behind ChatGPT sends a clear message: the future of mobile applications may lie in empowering users to create, not just consume. As the lines between creator, consumer, and AI continue to blur, platforms that facilitate this synergy are poised to dominate the digital landscape.
With AI trends evolving rapidly and users increasingly hungry for new ways to express themselves, it will be interesting to see whether ChatGPT can maintain its top position in the months ahead. For now, however, March 2025 belongs to OpenAI—and the millions of dreamers who turned their imaginations into art with the help of a chatbot.
