A new study has revealed that AI girlfriends are seven times more popular than AI boyfriends. The analysis, conducted by App Radar by SplitMetrics, a company specializing in app growth solutions, found that AI companion apps have reached a staggering 225 million lifetime downloads on the Google Play Store.
The research focused on 38 AI chat apps that offer virtual companionship and dating features. Among these apps, AI Girlfriend was downloaded almost seven times more than its male counterpart, AI Boyfriend. This suggests that users are more inclined to seek female AI companions rather than male ones.
The popularity of AI companions has seen a significant surge since the launch of ChatGPT by OpenAI in November 2022. Downloads in the virtual companionship and dating sector have grown by 49%, attracting 74 million new users.
One app, in particular, dominates the sector – SimSimi, a South Korean app that accounts for over half of all downloads in the AI companionship category. The top five apps with AI companionship features on the Google Play Store include SimSimi, AI Chatbot – Nova, Replika: My AI Friend, AI Chat RPG Game Use ChatGPT, and AI Chat Ask Assistant – NowAI.
In terms of regional distribution, Europe leads the way with 16 apps developed on the continent and an estimated 35 million lifetime downloads. The Americas follow closely behind with nine apps and an estimated 33 million downloads, while Asia boasts six apps and a whopping 146 million downloads. Interestingly, there are also seven apps with an unknown country of origin that have garnered around 10 million downloads.
Among the European apps analyzed, the United Kingdom stands out as the leader with five app developers, followed by Spain with three. Poland and Turkey each have two app developers representing their countries.
When it comes to Android app downloads since the launch of ChatGPT, European developers hold the largest market share at 43%, followed by American developers at 22%. However, in terms of lifetime downloads, Asia takes the lead with a 64% market share, while Europe and America trail behind with 15% and 14%, respectively.
Thomas Kriebernegg, the general manager of SplitMetrics Agency, expressed his thoughts on the study’s findings. He stated that generative AI has had a significant impact on the AI dating and companionship category, reinvigorating it in recent years. Kriebernegg believes that the trend is more than just a novelty or fringe activity, with nearly a quarter of a billion users indicating its growing popularity. He expects more app developers to take note of this trend and find ways to further innovate and monetize the category.
The rise of AI companions in the dating and companionship sector presents a unique opportunity for app developers and marketers alike. With millions of downloads and a growing user base, this emerging trend could shape the future of virtual relationships. As technology continues to advance, it will be interesting to see how AI companions evolve and how users’ preferences may shift over time.
In conclusion, AI girlfriends have proven to be significantly more popular than AI boyfriends. This trend reflects users’ preferences for female AI companions in the virtual dating and companionship space. With the rapid growth of AI companion apps and the potential for further innovation and monetization, this sector is poised to attract even more attention in the future.
