People are leaving ChatGPT: ‘The magic is gone’ – competitors have woken up
Somehow, I haven't been hooked on the ChatGPT thing yet.
Until recently, ChatGPT was synonymous with artificial intelligence in the literal sense. It was used by everyone from schoolchildren to business analysts, and the alternatives seemed like a distant theory. However, the beginning of 2026 brought an unexpected turning point: users started to withdraw, and the phrase “the magic is gone” is increasingly heard.
While ChatGPT remains the most popular chatbot in the world, its dominance is clearly waning. And it’s not just opinions, it’s numbers.
Market share declines – a historic moment
SimilarWeb, a web analytics company, has released a new report that signals a historic shift: ChatGPT’s market share has fallen below 70% for the first time. Just a year ago, this figure was over 90% and seemed almost insurmountable.
OpenAI currently attracts around 68% of all AI tool users, a clear signal that users are actively looking for alternatives. While the monthly visit count is still impressive (over 5.5 billion), it has been on a downward trend for several months in a row.
Who changed the situation?
The turning point coincided with the release of two new solutions: ChatGPT 5 and Google Gemini 3. Ironically, it was the updates that were supposed to strengthen ChatGPT’s position that disappointed some users.
Some users complain:
- Less creativity in responses;
- Too banal texts;
- More frequent restrictions and cautious content.
Meanwhile, Google Gemini is showing the opposite trend – the model is rapidly improving, better integrated with the Google ecosystem, and, according to users, often provides more accurate, contextual answers.
The gap between the competitor is narrowing every week
According to SimilarWeb, Google Gemini already receives over 1.7 billion visits per month. That’s still less than ChatGPT, but the gap is closing fast, and the trend is clear – some lose, some gain.
ChatGPT is seeing a decline of several percent each month, while Gemini is experiencing consistent growth.
What else is rising in the AI market?
In addition to the two leaders, other players are emerging in the market:
- Grok, a controversial model associated with Elon Musk, is rapidly approaching 3% market share. Minimal restrictions and an aggressive approach are attracting a segment of the audience.
- DeepSeek is a Chinese solution, currently ranked third.
- Claude and Perplexity – both stick around the 2% mark, but have a loyal, growing community.
- Copilot, despite active pressure and integration from Microsoft, only achieves a 1.2% market share so far.
Why are users disappointed with ChatGPT?
Analysts identify several main reasons:
- The novelty effect has disappeared – what seemed like a miracle a few years ago has become monotonous today.
- Over-caution – some users feel that responses have become “too safe.”
- Stronger competition – users finally have a real choice, not one dominant tool.
A clear message to the market
ChatGPT is still a giant, but it’s no longer untouchable. The AI market is finally moving into a more mature phase where users are choosing real benefits over name recognition.
And the phrase “the magic is gone” is increasingly heard not as an emotion, but as a clear signal that the artificial intelligence race is just beginning.
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