Anthropic's AI chatbot, Claude, has surged in popularity on Apple's US App Store, reaching the number two spot among free apps. This rise follows intense media coverage of Anthropic's contentious negotiations with the Pentagon. According to CNBC, Claude now stands just behind OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which holds the top position, and ahead of Google Gemini, which sits in third place. Data from SensorTower reveals that Claude had been hovering just outside the top 100 at the end of January but has maintained a position within the top 20 throughout February. The app's ranking saw a significant boost this week, moving up from sixth on Wednesday, to fourth on Thursday, and eventually claiming the second spot on Saturday.
The surge in Claude’s popularity coincides with Anthropic's efforts to ensure its AI models are not used by the Department of Defense for mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapon systems. These negotiations led to a directive from President Donald Trump instructing federal agencies to cease using all Anthropic products. Additionally, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth labeled the company a supply-chain threat. Meanwhile, OpenAI announced its own deal with the Pentagon, with CEO Sam Altman stating that their agreement includes provisions concerning domestic surveillance and autonomous weaponry.