Claude hits No. 1 on App Store as ChatGPT users defect in show of support for Anthropic's Pentagon stance

Anthropic's AI chatbot, Claude, surged to the number one spot on the Apple App Store, overtaking ChatGPT, following a public dispute between Anthropic and the Department of Defense (DoD) and a subsequent agreement secured by OpenAI with the DoD. OpenAI's deal, announced by CEO Sam Altman, involves deploying AI models on the DoD's classified network, emphasizing human oversight for autonomous weapons and limiting mass surveillance. This move caused unease among some loyal ChatGPT users, leading them to publicly cancel their subscriptions and switch to Claude in protest of OpenAI's perceived alignment with the Pentagon. Celebrities and everyday users shared their defections on social media. However, the polarization is not universal, as some users noted Anthropic's own defense-related contracts, such as an agreement with Palantir and AWS to provide Claude models to US intelligence agencies. OpenAI detailed its agreement, stating its AI systems will not direct autonomous weapons without required human control and will not be used for unconstrained monitoring of U.S. persons' private information.

(Source：Business Insider)