Consumer spending on mobile applications powered by generative AI chatbots, like ChatGPT, surged to US$1.1 billion globally in 2024, according to Sensor Tower’s annual State of Mobile report.

Users engaged with these AI-powered apps for over 7.7 billion hours, and downloads of apps featuring “AI” hit 17 billion worldwide.

The rise in AI app usage followed launches such as Google’s Gemini app and the wider availability of OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

Overall, in-app purchases and subscription revenue for mobile apps grew by 13%, reaching US$150 billion.