As 2025 kicks off, the AI industry is experiencing a seismic shift. DeepSeek burst onto the scene and skyrocketed to the top of the free app charts in both the Chinese and U.S. App Stores within just one week, becoming a global phenomenon. Amid a wave of new models and technologies, what new changes and trends are emerging in the AI application market? Based on the global AI application rankings for January released by aicpb.com, here are some key takeaways:
1. Despite the impact of DeepSeek, global top AI apps continue to show steady growth in monthly active users (MAU).
2. The cycle for creating AI super apps has shortened, as evidenced by DeepSeek’s 100 million user growth in just 7 days.
3. ChatGPT remains the leader with a substantial gap, with its monthly active users nearing 350 million in January.
4. Doubao and DeepSeek boast monthly active users of 78 million and 33 million, respectively.
5. Whether globally or in overseas markets, the MAU of top AI apps remains stable, with little shift in market dynamics.
6. New players are carving out niches, focusing on “AI + Logo Design” and “AI + Religion” to differentiate themselves in the crowded market.
1. Popular Global and Overseas AI Apps
In the global MAU leaderboard for January, the top ten AI apps continued their stable growth, with seven being intelligent assistants, two social companion apps, and one image editing app. The AI image editing app Remini saw a 12.15% increase in MAU to 31 million, making it the fastest-growing app after DeepSeek. Furthermore, ChatGPT experienced a 10.82% increase in MAU, reaching 340 million, maintaining its dominant position far ahead of the second-place app.
Out of the top ten apps, only Doubao, DeepSeek, and Talkie AI are from China. DeepSeek reached 33 million MAU in January, placing fourth overall. Impressively, the app achieved 100 million user growth in just seven days. In comparison, ChatGPT took two months to reach 100 million, and TikTok took nine months.
Among the top AI apps from China, DeepSeek ranked first in terms of overseas success. Other leading products maintained stable rankings, focusing primarily on utility and social functions. The AI image editor SelfyzAI saw the largest growth, with a 25.53% increase in MAU, reaching 1.8 million. Meanwhile, the social companion app Linky and the image editor YouCam saw slight declines of 7.39% and 1.69%, respectively.
2. Fastest-Growing AI Apps Globally
According to the data, DeepSeek was the fastest-growing AI app globally in terms of MAU in January, followed by Nano AI Search under the 360 brand. The majority of the top 20 apps with the fastest growth are applications and tools.
The booming AI app market is intensifying competition. Overall, the MAU rankings of the top AI apps remain stable, indicating long-lasting appeal and vitality for these products. Meanwhile, new players often seek differentiation and specificity to carve out competitive advantages in niche areas. Below are three examples of such products:
● Speechify: This app converts text into natural-sounding speech, offering features like voice cloning, AI dubbing, transcription services, and personalized voice productions. It supports multiple languages and customization. In January, its MAU increased by 29.74%, reaching 1.42 million.
● Arvin®: This app assists in simplifying the logo design process with AI, allowing users with no design experience to quickly generate high-quality logos. It saw a 25.55% increase in MAU in January, reaching 4.73 million.
● Bible Chat: Designed for Christians, this interactive Bible conversation assistant caters primarily to U.S. users. It utilizes ChatGPT technology and offers features such as prayer support and scripture reading, along with personalized learning plans, devotionals, and mental health support. In January, its MAU grew by 25.23%, reaching 3.97 million.
3. The Explosion of AI Apps and Opportunities
Overall, the AI app market at the start of 2025 exhibits a distinct “explosion and diversification” pattern. On one hand, the market is maturing, with the competitive landscape among leading products remaining relatively stable. On the other hand, the rapid rise of DeepSeek highlights the untapped potential and dynamism within the AI space.
Today, more AI apps are evolving from “general intelligence” to “domain experts,” with long-tail innovators making significant breakthroughs in specialized fields such as healthcare, education, and the arts. As the generational gap in technology narrows, the true differentiator may return to the basics — who can turn AI into tangible, perceptible value for users? This will likely determine who secures a competitive advantage in the next wave of AI growth.
