Apple Inc. (AAPL) just released its list of the most downloaded apps in the United States for 2025, and if you're Elon Musk, you might want to skip reading it. The rankings are dominated by artificial intelligence and social media platforms, but notably absent are any of Musk's ventures. Even more painful? The list is topped by his rivals.
AI Takes Over
OpenAI's ChatGPT claimed the crown as the most downloaded app on Apple devices in 2025, a remarkable leap from fourth place last year. The shift represents a dramatic change from 2024, when Temu held the top spot. This year, the bargain shopping app didn't even crack the top 10.
Here's how the rankings shook out for free apps, excluding games:
- ChatGPT
- Threads
- TikTok
- YouTube
- Google Maps
- Gmail
- Google Gemini
ChatGPT's dominance signals how deeply AI has embedded itself into everyday American life. People aren't just experimenting with the technology anymore. They're relying on it for practical answers, information, and assistance with daily tasks.
The Real Winners: Meta and Alphabet
Beyond OpenAI's triumph, Meta Platforms (META) and Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) have plenty of reasons to pop champagne.
Meta secured three spots in the top 10 with Threads, WhatsApp, and Instagram, demonstrating the company's continued stranglehold on social connectivity and communication.
Alphabet's showing was even more impressive, claiming five of the top 10 positions. Google, YouTube, Google Maps, Gmail, and Google Gemini collectively showcase the company's reach across search, video streaming, navigation, email, and artificial intelligence. It's a masterclass in ecosystem dominance.
The Musk-Shaped Hole
Now let's talk about who didn't make the list: Elon Musk. Not his social media platform X, not his xAI chatbot Grok. Nothing.
This isn't just embarrassing. It's particularly stinging because many of the winners are Musk's direct competitors and longtime adversaries.
Take OpenAI. Musk co-founded the company and was an early investor before becoming one of its fiercest critics. He's now suing both OpenAI and Apple, alleging they conspired to create a monopoly in the AI chatbot market. The lawsuit claims Apple made ChatGPT the exclusive AI for Apple Intelligence and promoted it as essential, allegedly suppressing competitors like Grok in the App Store.
Then there's Meta. Musk's X competes directly with several Meta properties on the list, most notably Threads, which was explicitly designed as an X alternative. The rivalry between Musk and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been personal and public, with the two even threatening to physically fight at one point.
Threads has been on a tear lately, surpassing 400 million users in August. By June, the platform had 115.1 million daily active users compared to X's 132 million. The gap is narrowing, and the trend lines aren't favorable for Musk. Threads is gaining daily users while X has been losing them.
Musk has also taken shots at Instagram over the years, dismissing the photo-sharing platform as superficial.
"Instagram, man — it's a thirst trap, you know," Musk once said.
Yet Instagram remains one of the most downloaded apps in America, right alongside ChatGPT and Threads, two other products Musk regularly criticizes.
What It All Means
The 2025 download rankings paint a clear picture: AI isn't just a buzzword anymore, and the social media landscape is more competitive than ever. Americans are embracing new tools and platforms, and they're making choices about which companies they trust with their time and data.
For Musk, the list is a reminder that lawsuits and public feuds don't necessarily translate to consumer adoption. While he fights battles on multiple fronts against Altman, Zuckerberg, and Apple, Americans are voting with their downloads, and right now, they're choosing everyone but him.