Image AI Releases Boost App Downloads More Than Chatbot Updates, Study Shows

Tue, 05 May 2026 14:16:00 +0200

A recent report by app intelligence firm Appfigures indicates that the release of image-generating AI models is driving significantly higher app downloads compared to traditional conversational model updates. Apps such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini saw substantial download increases following the launch of their image models, with Gemini’s 'Nano Banana' image model adding over 22 million downloads in 28 days, and ChatGPT’s GPT-4o image model contributing an additional 12 million installs. Despite the surge in downloads, these spikes do not always translate into higher revenue. For example, Google's Nano Banana only generated $181,000 in estimated consumer spending during the same period, while Meta AI’s Vibes led to downloads without meaningful revenue impact. ChatGPT was an exception, converting increased attention into approximately $70 million in consumer spending after its 4o image model release. The analysis also highlighted DeepSeek’s breakout success, which was driven by general