Generative AI apps on track to surpass $10B in consumer spending in 2026

Generative AI apps are expected to cross a major commercial milestone in 2026, with global consumer spending projected to exceed $10 billion, according to new market forecasts from Sensor Tower’s latest report. The projection reflects rapid adoption across mobile platforms and positions generative AI as one of the fastest-scaling app categories in the digital economy.

Generative AI apps, spanning use cases such as chatbots, productivity tools, wellness, retail assistance, and creative services, are forecast to more than double their in-app purchase revenue year over year. In 2025, the category is expected to approach nearly $5 billion in consumer spending, setting the stage for a $10B-plus market in 2026.

Download growth remains a central driver. Sensor Tower estimates that generative AI apps will approach four billion downloads in 2025, with total downloads forecast to rise sharply again in 2026. Time spent is also expected to increase at a similar pace, reinforcing the category’s monetization potential beyond early experimentation.

Within the category, ChatGPT is projected to play an outsized role in revenue expansion. By late 2025, the app had already climbed into the top tier of global non-gaming apps by in-app purchase revenue, trailing only established social and video platforms. Sensor Tower forecasts that ChatGPT could become the highest-grossing app globally by in-app purchases by the end of 2026, depending on competitive dynamics and pricing strategies.

The report indicates that by 2026, generative AI will rank among the top five app genres worldwide across several key metrics. Downloads are projected to rise from outside the top ten in 2025 to the fourth-largest category in 2026, surpassing long-established segments such as shopping and multimedia software. In-app purchase revenue is expected to rank third overall, while time spent is forecast to reach fifth place globally.

This shift underscores a structural change in how consumers interact with mobile apps, as conversational and generative interfaces move from novelty to daily utility.

Sensor Tower’s analysis places generative AI growth alongside other major digital trends expected in 2026, including the rise of short-form vertical video, changes in digital advertising spend, and AI’s growing role in driving web traffic. Together, these trends suggest that generative AI is not only reshaping app monetization but also influencing discovery, engagement, and distribution across the wider digital ecosystem.