Anthropic’s Claude Surges to Top of US App Store
Claude overtakes ChatGPT as app downloads surge after Pentagon controversy.
San Francisco: Anthropic’s AI chatbot Claude has become the most downloaded free app in Apple’s U.S. App Store after rising quickly in popularity over the past week.
The app climbed from outside the top 100 at January’s end to number one by Saturday evening. Claude passed ChatGPT, which had held the top position. Claude stayed at number one through Sunday morning.
A company spokesperson said daily sign-ups broke records every day this week. Free users increased more than 60% since January. Paid subscribers more than doubled this year.
The surge came after Anthropic tried to limit how the Department of Defense could use its AI technology. The company wanted safeguards against mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons. President Trump ordered federal agencies to stop using Anthropic products. The Defense Secretary called Anthropic a supply-chain threat.
Another AI company, OpenAI, then announced an agreement with the Pentagon. OpenAI’s CEO said their agreement also includes safeguards about domestic surveillance and autonomous weapons.