More than 2.5 million users have pledged to boycott ChatGPT after OpenAI signed an agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense, sparking widespread criticism of the AI developer.
A website tracking the boycott reported that over 2.5 million users have already left ChatGPT, which has a global user base of over 900 million, following the Pentagon deal. The figures are based on pledges, social media activity, and app usage data, reflecting growing disillusionment among users.
“We’re organizing Americans and people worldwide to quit ChatGPT,” the boycott website stated, emphasizing that the campaign aims to send a strong message to technology companies that such collaborations will not go unchallenged.
The backlash benefited competitors. Claude, developed by Anthropic, surged to the top of Apple’s App Store charts, overtaking ChatGPT, while U.S. mobile app uninstalls for ChatGPT spiked 295 percent in a single day, according to TechCrunch and data from Sensor Tower.
Criticism intensified after OpenAI signed the deal shortly after Anthropic, the Pentagon’s previous AI contractor, withdrew over concerns that its AI could be used for domestic surveillance, which conflicted with the company’s stated democratic values.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman acknowledged the misstep on social media, admitting the announcement was rushed. “We shouldn’t have rushed to get this out on Friday,” Altman wrote. “The issues are super complex and demand clear communication. Our intention was to de-escalate, but it appeared opportunistic and sloppy.”
According to The Guardian, OpenAI is revising the agreement to explicitly prohibit the use of its technology for mass surveillance or deployment by intelligence agencies, including the National Security Agency (NSA).
The boycott underscores increasing scrutiny over ethical AI use and the challenges companies face balancing government contracts with user trust.
Source: NDTV
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
