The Top 50 Gen AI Mobile Apps, by MAU, source: https://a16z.com/100-gen-ai-apps-3/
https://a16z.com
In the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, keeping pace with the latest consumer-facing applications can feel like chasing a moving target. For venture capitalists and investors, understanding which AI apps are gaining real traction is crucial for making informed investment decisions. Fortunately, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), one of Silicon Valley’s most prominent venture capital firms, has recently released the third edition of its comprehensive “Top 100 Gen AI Consumer Apps” report, offering valuable insights into emerging trends, user behaviors, and potential investment opportunities.
This latest, 3rd edition, published in August 2024, provides a data-driven ranking of the 100 most popular AI products; 50 that are web first web products (based on unique monthly visits) and the 50 top AI-first mobile apps (measured by monthly active users). As a biannual report from a16z, it serves as a crucial barometer for the rapidly changing AI consumer landscape, offering investors a unique window into the apps and platforms that are not just generating buzz, but actually gaining and retaining users.
What’s particularly striking about this third edition is the rate of change: nearly 30% of the companies featured are new entrants compared to the previous report from March 2024. This high turnover rate underscores the dynamic nature of the AI startup ecosystem and highlights the potential for rapid growth and market disruption. For investors looking to stay ahead of the curve in the AI space, a16z’s report offers a wealth of actionable intelligence.
Key Trends for Investors to Watch1. The Enduring Appeal of Creative Tools
Content generation and editing tools continue to dominate the AI consumer app landscape, particularly on the web. According to a16z’s analysis, a staggering 52% of the web-based applications focus on content creation across various modalities – image, video, music, and speech. This trend shows no signs of slowing, with 58% of new entrants falling into the creative tool category.
Standout performers in this space include:
- Luma (#14): A video generation tool
- Viggle (#21): Another video-focused AI application
- SeaArt (#29): An image generation platform
- Udio (#33): A music generation tool
Perhaps most notable is the meteoric rise of Suno, a music generator that leaped from #36 to #5 in just six months. This rapid ascent highlights the growing consumer appetite for AI-powered music creation tools.
For investors, the diversification within the content generation space is particularly noteworthy. While image generation tools previously dominated, they now represent only 41% of the top content generation sites. Video and music generation tools are gaining significant ground, likely due to recent advancements in output quality.
2. Mobile: The Editing Powerhouse
On mobile platforms, content editing – particularly for images and videos – reigns supreme. It’s the second-largest product category, accounting for 22% of the top mobile apps. This trend aligns with the natural desire of mobile users to edit content captured on their devices.
An interesting development for investors to note is the success of legacy creative tools that have pivoted to become AI-first. Examples include:
This trend suggests that established brands with strong user bases can successfully integrate AI capabilities to maintain or even grow their market position.
3. The Battle for AI Assistants Heats Up
While OpenAI’s ChatGPT maintains its dominant position as the #1 product on both web and mobile platforms, the competition in the AI assistant space is intensifying. This presents a rich opportunity for investors looking at potential challengers to ChatGPT’s throne.
Key players to watch include:
- Perplexity: Now ranking #3 on web, this AI-powered search engine focuses on delivering concise, real-time, and accurate answers with cited sources. With an average visit duration exceeding seven minutes, Perplexity is demonstrating strong user engagement.
- Claude AI: Anthropic’s offering has climbed from #10 to #4 on the web rankings. The recent launch of its “Artifacts” feature puts it in direct competition with ChatGPT’s GPTs.
- Luzia: Debuting at #25 on mobile, this AI assistant claims 45 million users worldwide, with a primary focus on Spanish-speaking markets. Its evolution from a WhatsApp-based chatbot to a standalone app showcases the potential for growth in language-specific AI assistants.
Graph showing Indexed Web Growth: Claude Vs. Perplexity Vs. Chat GPT, Source: … [+]
https://a16z.com
4. Bytedance’s AI Ambitions
TikTok’s parent company, Bytedance, is making significant inroads into the AI consumer app market. The company has secured six spots across the web and mobile rankings with various AI-powered tools:
- Gauth (#44 on web): An edtech platform
- Coze (#45 on web): A bot builder
- Doubao (#47 on web, #26 on mobile): A general assistant
- Hypic (#19 on mobile): A photo and video editor
- Cici (#34 on mobile): An English-language version of Doubao
Bytedance’s aggressive push into AI applications, stemming from its “Flow” R&D division launched in late 2023, signals the company’s intention to become a major player in the AI consumer space. For investors, this multi-pronged approach from an established tech giant presents both potential opportunities and competitive challenges for AI startups.
5. The Rise of AI in Aesthetics and Dating
A notable new category emerging in the mobile space is AI-powered aesthetics and dating apps. Three new entrants in this category have made the top 50 list:
- LooksMax AI (#43)
- Umax (#44)
- RIZZ (#49)
LooksMax and Umax focus on analyzing and “improving” users’ appearance, while RIZZ aims to enhance dating app conversations. These apps have quickly amassed millions of users and monetize through weekly subscriptions ranging from $3.99 to $4.99.
The rapid adoption of these apps points to a growing consumer willingness to leverage AI for personal enhancement and social interactions. For investors, this trend may signal untapped potential in AI applications for personal development and relationship-building.
6. Discord as a Launchpad and Growth Indicator
The report highlights an interesting correlation between Discord traffic and future success on web and mobile platforms, particularly for content generation tools. Many AI startups are using Discord as a testing ground and community-building tool before launching standalone products.
As of July 2024, ten AI companies ranked in the top 100 Discord servers by invite traffic, with half being new entrants since January. Notable examples include:
- Midjourney (retained #1 spot)
- CharacterAI
- NovelAI
- Stable Diffusion
- Playground AI
For investors, monitoring Discord traffic and engagement could provide early indicators of promising AI startups and products poised for broader market success.
1) Investment Implications and OpportunitiesContent Creation Momentum:
The continued dominance of creative tools, especially in emerging modalities like video and music, suggests ongoing investment opportunities in this space. Look for startups pushing the boundaries of AI-generated content quality and user experience.
2) Mobile-First Strategies:
With mobile users showing a strong preference for AI-powered editing tools, consider investments in startups that prioritize mobile experiences or successfully pivot existing apps to incorporate AI features.
3) AI Assistant Differentiation:
As the market for AI assistants becomes more crowded, look for companies that offer unique value propositions, such as specialized knowledge domains, enhanced accuracy, or novel interaction methods.
4) Language and Cultural Specificity:
The success of language-specific AI assistants like Luzia highlights the potential for AI products tailored to specific linguistic or cultural markets.
5) Corporate AI Initiatives:
Keep an eye on established tech companies, like Bytedance, that are aggressively entering the AI space. These efforts may lead to acquisition opportunities or create new competitive dynamics for existing AI startups.
6) Emerging AI Use Cases:
The rapid adoption of AI for personal aesthetics and dating suggests consumers are open to AI applications in unexpected areas. Look for startups applying AI to novel personal or social challenges.
7) Community-Driven Development:
Consider the potential of platforms like Discord as both a launchpad for AI products and an indicator of future success. Startups that effectively leverage community feedback and engagement may be better positioned for growth.
Conclusion
The AI consumer app landscape is evolving at a breakneck pace, with new entrants constantly reshaping the market. a16z’s third “Top 100 Gen AI Consumer Apps” report provides invaluable insights into this dynamic ecosystem. For investors, this volatility presents both challenges and opportunities. By closely monitoring trends in user engagement, emerging categories, and the strategies of both startups and established players, savvy investors can position themselves to capitalize on the next wave of AI-powered consumer applications.
As we move into the latter half of 2024 and beyond, it’s clear that AI will continue to be a driving force in consumer technology. The companies that can effectively harness AI to solve real user problems, enhance creativity, or improve personal experiences are likely to be the ones that define the next generation of category-leading businesses. For investors willing to navigate this complex and fast-moving landscape, the potential rewards are substantial. As a16z’s report demonstrates, staying informed about the rapidly changing AI consumer app market is more crucial than ever for those looking to make strategic investments in this transformative technology.
