ChatGPT app uninstalls surge after OpenAI DoD deal as Anthropic's Claude climbs to No. 1
Mar 3rd 2026
Sensor Tower, Appfigures and Similarweb report sharp user reactions after OpenAI announced a Department of Defense partnership, with ChatGPT facing mass uninstalls and reviews while competitor Claude gained downloads and top App Store rank.
- U.S. ChatGPT mobile uninstalls rose 295% day over day on Saturday, Feb 28, according to Sensor Tower.
- Sensor Tower said that surge far exceeded ChatGPT's typical 9% day over day uninstall rate over the prior 30 days.
- ChatGPT U.S. downloads fell 13% on Saturday and 5% on Sunday after the announcement, following a 14% increase on Friday.
- Anthropic said it would not partner with the U.S. defense department over concerns about surveillance and autonomous weapons, and its Claude app saw downloads jump and reach No. 1 on the U.S. App Store.
- Appfigures and Similarweb corroborated spikes for Claude, with Appfigures estimating an 88% day over day download increase on Saturday and Similarweb reporting weekly U.S. downloads about 20 times January levels.