ChatGPT’s mobile app crosses $3B in consumer spending—Appfigures says 2025 did most of the work, and OpenAI’s monetization flywheel is widening

Appfigures now estimates ChatGPT’s iOS and Android app has surpassed $3B in worldwide consumer spending since May 2023. The estimate covers user spend across both stores, mostly subscriptions and in-app purchases. TechCrunch highlighted the milestone because 2025 did most of the work.

For Morocco, this is more than a headline about a US company’s revenue. It is proof that AI assistants can become paid, daily mobile utilities. That shifts expectations for Moroccan startups, enterprises, and public services.

2025 was the inflection year

Appfigures estimates $2.48B of the $3B total happened in 2025 alone. TechCrunch says that implies a 408% year-over-year increase versus 2024. The curve is steep even by subscription-app standards.

The earlier years show how quickly ChatGPT moved from novelty to habit. In 2023, its first partial year on mobile, it generated $42.9M. In 2024, spending jumped 1,036% to $487M.

A simple timeline makes the shift clear:

• *2023 (partial year):

• $42.9M

• *2024:

• $487M

• *2025 (estimate):

• $2.48B

• *Since May 2023 (total):

• $3B

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This pace matters because it reframes “AI apps” as consumer subscription businesses. It also sets a benchmark for any assistant that wants to win on mobile.

Faster than TikTok, Disney+, and HBO Max

Appfigures told TechCrunch that ChatGPT reached $3B in consumer spend in 31 months. TechCrunch compared that with several iconic consumer apps. The comparison is not about category, but about speed.

The reported time-to-$3B numbers:

• *ChatGPT:

• 31 months

• *TikTok:

• 58 months

• *Disney+:

• 42 months

• *HBO Max:

• 46 months

In other words, ChatGPT is not only “big for AI.” It is tracking like a top-tier mobile subscription product across the wider app economy.

Subscriptions are the proof point, not the whole business

TechCrunch stresses that mobile consumer spending is only part of OpenAI’s monetization surface area. Still, it shows that subscriptions have become a primary engine. On mobile, users pay for tiers like *ChatGPT Plus ($20/month)

• and ChatGPT Pro ($200/month).

This creates a flywheel. Better models and features justify higher willingness to pay. More revenue then funds more compute, product work, and distribution.

TechCrunch also points to other monetization paths beyond mobile subscriptions. These include developer offerings, enterprise distribution, and possibly ads in the future. OpenAI has also launched an “app store of sorts,” a marketplace for apps and experiences, which it suggests may be monetized later.

For Morocco, the key lesson is structural. The winning assistants will behave like platforms, not single apps. Local teams should plan for multi-channel distribution from day one.

What the AI-app revenue gap tells us

The milestone also clarifies the monetization gap among AI assistants. TechCrunch says xAI’s Grok is the closest match to ChatGPT’s cumulative revenue pace once Grok began monetizing. The point is not that it has caught up.

The point is that most rivals still lag far behind on mobile consumer spend. That implies product quality alone is not enough. Distribution, trust, and habit formation are doing a lot of work.

This dynamic maps well to Morocco’s market reality. The best “AI” product may lose to the best distributed product. Partnerships, bundling, and default placements can decide outcomes.

Why this matters in Morocco

Morocco is a mobile-first country in how people communicate, learn, and run small businesses. That makes the ChatGPT milestone relevant, even if local purchasing power differs from US or Europe. The phone is the natural place for an assistant to live.

But Morocco also has real friction in paid consumer software. International subscription pricing can feel expensive in dirhams. Card penetration and online payment habits also vary by segment.

So expect a split adoption pattern. Consumers will use free tiers heavily and pay selectively. Enterprises will pay when ROI is clear, and when procurement feels safe.

This is where Moroccan startups can compete. They can package AI into workflows people already pay for. They can also localize language, tone, and compliance.

Practical Moroccan use cases that fit mobile-first AI

Mobile AI assistants shine when they reduce small daily friction. Morocco has many such workflows across services, tourism, education, and administration. The best use cases are narrow, measurable, and bilingual or multilingual.

Here are practical areas where AI assistance fits Morocco’s context:

• *Customer support for SMEs and online sellers

*

Chat-based replies in French and Arabic can cut response time. Templates can standardize policies for returns, delivery, and after-sales service.

• *Tourism and hospitality operations

*

Staff can draft guest messages, itineraries, and complaint responses. Quick translation helps with mixed-language guests and last-minute changes.

• *Education and exam preparation

*

Students use assistants for summaries, quizzes, and practice explanations. Tutors can create lesson plans and exercises faster.

• *Back-office work for small firms

*

Drafting emails, proposals, and invoices is repetitive. A mobile assistant can speed writing and improve clarity.

• *Recruitment and outsourcing workflows

*

Morocco has many service teams that write and process text all day. AI can help with screening questions, scripts, and knowledge-base lookups.

• *Agriculture and field operations

*

Farmers and cooperatives often need simple guidance, record templates, and messaging. AI helps most when paired with local agronomy sources.

• *Public-facing information

*

Local agencies can use assistants to explain forms and steps in plain language. The safest version uses approved content and clear escalation paths.

These are not “moonshot” uses. They are time-savers that compound. That is how subscriptions become sticky.

What Moroccan startups can build around this shift

The $3B mobile milestone signals that “assistant” is a category users will pay for. It does not mean every AI wrapper will win. Moroccan founders should aim for defensible value, not novelty.

Focus on products that do at least one of these well: integrate, localize, or de-risk. That is where local advantage lives.

Good patterns for Moroccan AI startups:

• *Vertical copilots with clear ROI

*

Build for one job role, in one sector, with one set of documents. Examples include support agents, travel operators, or legal admin teams.

• *Multilingual UX that matches real speech

*

Morocco’s daily communication mixes French and Arabic, often in the same thread. Products should handle mixed-language inputs reliably.

• *Distribution through existing channels

*

Mobile is not only the app stores. Consider WhatsApp-first experiences, lightweight web apps, and partnerships with local software vendors.

• *Data-grounded answers, not generic chat

*

Use retrieval over verified internal documents and policies. Show sources and timestamps where possible.

• *Safety, privacy, and auditability by design

*

Moroccan enterprises will ask where data goes and who can access it. Be ready with clear controls, logging, and retention settings.

• *Packaging that fits local buying behavior

*

Many teams prefer invoices, annual plans, and local support. Subscription success often depends on payment and onboarding, not only models.

OpenAI’s marketplace angle also matters. If it becomes monetized, it could reward builders who create useful “mini-app” experiences. Moroccan developers can treat it like a new export channel for niche expertise.

Government and institutions: move from pilots to procurement readiness

Morocco has active digital transformation efforts across ministries and agencies. It also has strong technical education assets, including universities and engineering schools. The missing piece is often the bridge from experimentation to scaled, safe deployment.

A practical public-sector AI approach does not need hype. It needs clear rules, good data, and measurable service outcomes. It also needs alignment with privacy expectations and oversight.

Concrete moves that help Morocco’s AI ecosystem:

• *Issue plain-language guidance for public employees

*

Define what can be pasted into assistants and what cannot. Provide approved tools, and train teams on prompt hygiene.

• *Invest in high-quality, reusable public datasets

*

Clean, structured data improves both public services and startups. Prioritize datasets that reduce paperwork and confusion.

• *Support evaluation and testing capacity

*

Morocco needs more shared tooling for benchmarking models on local language and tasks. Universities can help, if incentives are aligned.

• *Use outcome-based procurement for citizen services

*

Buy for response time, resolution rate, and accessibility, not for buzzwords. Require human escalation and clear accountability.

• *Coordinate with data protection expectations

*

Enterprises and agencies will look for alignment with Morocco’s privacy oversight. Clear contracts and controls reduce adoption risk.

This is also where institutions like incubators, Technoparks, and university labs can play a catalytic role. They can host applied projects with real operators. They can also help startups learn procurement and compliance early.

Key takeaways

• Appfigures estimates ChatGPT mobile consumer spending has surpassed *$3B

• since May 2023.

• *2025

• is the breakout year, with an estimated *$2.48B

• in spending.

• The app reached $3B in 31 months, faster than several iconic subscription apps.

• Subscriptions (Plus and Pro tiers) are the proof point, but platforms will monetize across channels.

• For Morocco, the opportunity is in localized, workflow-based AI products with strong distribution and clear governance.

Bottom line

ChatGPT’s mobile revenue milestone is a sign that consumers will pay for AI when it saves time every day. It also shows how quickly an assistant can become a platform. For Morocco, that should sharpen strategy.

Startups should build narrow products with local fit and measurable value. Enterprises should treat AI as a capability that needs governance, not a one-off tool. Government can accelerate adoption by making rules, data, and procurement more AI-ready.