s demand for AI tools exploded in recent years, companies began launching mobile app versions of these tools — and a new study shows that demand for AI apps has skyrocketed, surpassing entertainment apps.

The 2026 State of Mobile report by market intelligence firm Sensor Tower found that in 2025, generative AI dominated on mobile, growing from 213M downloads in 2022 to 3.8B, an 18-fold increase. Year-over-year, downloads more than doubled, rising 148%.

As a result, generative AI ranked as the second-largest app subgenre by downloads in 2025, behind only social media. It outpaced well-established subgenres such as streaming and everyday practical applications, including customization, file management, antivirus, and more.

Furthermore, major categories such as social media, shopping, streaming and music podcasts saw YoY declines, which the report found is likely because the leading subgenres are longstanding and leave little room for new entrants. Of course, generative AI has the opposite effect, with new players constantly entering and rapid advancements in the space making the apps increasingly appealing.

Spending in the generative AI app category saw a similar pattern as downloads, with in-app purchases (IAP) tripling YoY to exceed $5 billion. Notably, this bolstered the non-game applications category to $85.6B in IAP revenue, lapping games, which have typically led IAP revenue, as seen in the graph below.

People aren’t just making a statement with their money, but also with their time. In 2025, time spent in generative AI apps reached 48 billion hours, reflecting 3.6x growth since 2024 and 10x growth since 2023.

The biggest winner among AI assistants is ChatGPT, which became one of the three apps surpassing $1 billion in global IAP for the first time in 2025, behind TikTok and Google One, and also the app with the most downloads in the category.