ChatGPT Uninstalls Soar After DoD Partnership News
Consumer sentiment dramatically shifted over a weekend as news broke regarding OpenAI's partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), which has been renamed the Department of War under the Trump administration. This development triggered a significant surge in uninstalls for ChatGPT's mobile application in the United States.
Surge in ChatGPT Uninstalls Follows DoD Partnership News
Market intelligence firm Sensor Tower reported a staggering 295% increase in day-over-day uninstalls for ChatGPT on Saturday, February 28. This spike contrasts sharply with the app's average daily uninstall rate of 9% observed over the preceding 30 days, indicating a strong consumer reaction.
Competitor Claude Sees Download Boom Amidst Controversy
In parallel, U.S. downloads for Anthropic's AI chatbot, Claude, experienced a notable uplift. On Friday, February 27, Claude downloads rose by 37%, followed by a further 51% increase on Saturday, February 28. This surge coincided with Anthropic's public statement that it would not engage in a partnership with the U.S. defense department. Anthropic cited concerns that AI could be used for surveillance of Americans and the deployment of fully autonomous weaponry, technology it believes is not yet safe or ready for such applications.
Consumer Preference Shifts
The data suggests a segment of consumers aligned with Anthropic's ethical stance. Beyond the uninstall surge, ChatGPT's download growth was also negatively impacted by the DoD deal. U.S. downloads for the ChatGPT app decreased by 13% day-over-day on Saturday, the same day the partnership news became public. This downward trend continued into Sunday, with a further 5% drop in downloads. This is a stark contrast to Friday, the day before the announcement, when ChatGPT downloads had seen a healthy 14% day-over-day increase.
Claude Reaches Top App Store Ranking
The dramatic shift in consumer interest was further evidenced by Claude's climb in app store rankings. On Saturday, Claude achieved the No. 1 position on the U.S. App Store, a status it maintained as of Monday, March 2. This represents an ascent of over 20 ranks compared to its position just one week prior, on February 22, 2026.
User Reviews Reflect Dissatisfaction with ChatGPT
Consumer dissatisfaction was also apparent in app ratings. Sensor Tower data indicates a massive 775% surge in 1-star reviews for ChatGPT on Saturday, followed by another 100% day-over-day increase on Sunday. Conversely, 5-star reviews for the app saw a 50% decline during the same period.
Independent Data Corroborates Trends
Other third-party analytics firms corroborate Sensor Tower's findings. Appfigures, for example, reported that Claude's daily U.S. downloads on Saturday surpassed those of ChatGPT for the first time. Appfigures' estimates for Claude's U.S. download growth were even higher, suggesting an 88% day-over-day increase on Saturday. Appfigures also noted that Claude has become the top free iPhone app in six countries outside the U.S., including Belgium, Canada, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway, and Switzerland.
Similarweb, another market intelligence provider, indicated that Claude's U.S. downloads over the past week were approximately 20 times greater than those in January. However, Similarweb cautioned that this significant increase might be influenced by factors beyond the recent political controversies.
