A deal between Sam Altman's OpenAI and the US Department of War (DoW) has triggered a massive increase in ChatGPT uninstalls as AI users search for an alternative.
Many users are now abandoning the platform in favor of alternative AI chatbots, with one in particular appearing to come out on top for users.
OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman said his company’s deal with the Pentagon would allow the US military to use its artificial intelligence tools within its classified systems.
The partnership was announced on Friday after the Trump administration terminated a contract with Anthropic, as the AI startup opposed its technology being used for mass surveillance and autonomous weapons systems.
According to SensorTower data, ChatGPT uninstall rates have skyrocketed by 295%. US downloads fell 13% day over day on Saturday and another 5% on Sunday. This represents a stark contrast to the day before the announcement, when downloads had actually grown 14%.
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Additionally, five-star reviews for ChatGPT have been plummeting while one-star reviews exploded by 775% on Saturday and doubled by Sunday.
Meanwhile, installs for AI rival Claude went up 37% last Friday and up 51% last Saturday, and even hit the top of the Apple App Store charts for free apps.
The company stated it could not agree to deal terms over concerns that AI might be used for public surveillance and autonomous weapons systems. The tech giant claims current AI technology isn't ready to handle such capabilities safely.
Taking to X, Altman acknowledged the timing of the agreement was 'rushed' and attempted to clarify some aspects of the deal. The agreement now specifically states that ChatGPT-powered AI systems at the DoW are in alignment with the Fourth Amendment and 'shall not be intentionally used for domestic surveillance of US persons and nationals.'
The CEO criticised the government's decision to exclude Anthropic and Claude from official agencies, describing it as a 'very bad decision.'
"If I received what I believed was an unconstitutional order, of course I would rather go to jail than follow it," Altman stated.
He added that AI still has its limitations: "There are many things the technology just isn’t ready for, and many areas we don’t yet understand the tradeoffs required for safety.
"We will work through these, slowly, with the DoW, with technical safeguards and other methods."
It's unclear yet whether Altman's damage-control efforts will successfully save the remaining user base. The spike in uninstalls deals a serious blow to ChatGPT, which has spent years carefully building its reputation as a trustworthy consumer platform.
