Google Gemini and Elon Musk’s Grok Are Closing the Gap on ChatGPT

For over a year, OpenAI’s ChatGPT has been the clear leader in consumer generative AI.

However, according to the latest “Top 100 Gen AI Consumer Apps” report from venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, which analyzes two-and-a-half years of AI usage statistics, the competitors are finally narrowing the lead. Google’s Gemini and Elon Musk’s Grok are rising in the rankings, indicating that rivals are challenging OpenAI’s supremacy.

Nonetheless, the Gen AI ecosystem appears to be stabilizing. The web rankings introduced 11 newcomers compared to 17 in March 2025, reflecting less volatility. The mobile app sector, however, saw 14 new entrants, partly due to app stores taking action against “ChatGPT imitators,” paving the way for more original applications.

The report also contrasts with a June analysis from SimilarWeb that indicated that OpenAI’s GPT was dominating the web, with approximately 5.5 billion monthly visits.

The big takeaways

This may be attributed to the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Google has made significant advancements, with four products debuting on the web rankings. Its general LLM assistant, Gemini, now holds the second spot, capturing around 12% of ChatGPT’s web traffic.

Notable Google innovations include AI Studio (developer-focused, top 10 on the web) and NotebookLM (#13 on the web), both of which are experiencing consistent growth. Gemini also ranks #2 on mobile, with substantial Android engagement (nearly 90% of its MAUs).

While ChatGPT remains the leader in general LLM assistants, Google, xAI, and Meta are narrowing the gap.

X’s Grok improved from having no mobile app in late 2024 to reaching 20 million MAUs, ranking #4 on the web and #23 on mobile. This growth was driven by the launch of Grok 4, which introduced enhanced reasoning, real-time search, and tool integration, alongside AI companion avatars. Meta AI has had more muted growth, landing at #46 on the web list and not making the mobile cut. DeepSeek and Claude’s mobile engagement has stagnated, while Perplexity is still experiencing growth.

The AI realm also encompasses many more users than those relying on dominant platforms in the West. Chinese AI applications are achieving significant global prevalence. Three Chinese companies—Quark (#9 on the web, #47 on mobile), Doubao (#12 on the web, #4 on mobile), and Kimi (#17 on the web)—are in the top 20 on the web, primarily due to China being the largest market and restrictions on non-Chinese LLMs.

Moreover, a considerable segment of the web list and 22 of the top 50 mobile applications—particularly in photo and video editing, with Meitu contributing five entries—are developed in China and are now being “exported” internationally. Specifically, Chinese video models exhibit an advantage, potentially stemming from greater research focus and fewer IP constraints.

“Vibe coding” platforms are generating significant user engagement and revenue retention. Lovable and Replit have made their debut in the main list, while Bolt, previously a newcomer, is now on the “Brink List.” These platforms are also increasing traffic for various AI products and infrastructure providers like Supabase.

The report, now in its fifth iteration, continues to highlight “All-Stars.” Fourteen companies have consistently appeared across all five versions of the web’s top 50, granting them “All-Star” recognition. These include general assistance (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Poe), companionship (Character AI), image generation (Midjourney, Leonardo), editing (Veed, Cutout), voice generation (Eleven Labs), productivity (Photoroom, Gamma, Quillbot), and model hosting (Civitai, HuggingFace). Most of these All-Stars originate from the U.S., UK, Australia, China, and France.

Lastly, to monitor momentum at the forefront, Andreessen Horowitz now publishes a “Brink List”—highlighting five web and five mobile apps on the verge of breaking through. From the previous cycle, three “almost made it” entries successfully moved up: Lovable (#22 on the web), PolyBuzz, and Pixverse. The takeaway is clear: today’s near-misses can be tomorrow’s successes.

The bottom line

ChatGPT is still at the forefront—but the rise of Gemini and Grok indicates that the landscape is becoming more competitive. As Andreessen Horowitz’s top 100 demonstrates, the consumer AI ecosystem is maturing, yet it remains dynamic. The competitors may be catching up, but the next major breakthrough could still emerge from the “brink.”