Anthropic’s AI chatbot Claude has climbed to the number one position in the U.S. App Store’s free app rankings following widespread attention surrounding the company’s dispute with the Pentagon.

The chatbot overtook its closest competitor over the weekend after several days of rapid growth.

Earlier this year, the app ranked outside the top 100 before steadily rising through February.

According to market data, Claude jumped from sixth place to first within days. The company said daily signups have reached record highs, with free users increasing by more than 60 percent since January and paid subscriptions more than doubling.

The surge followed the U.S. government’s decision to halt use of Anthropic’s technology after negotiations over military safeguards failed. The move sparked debate across the AI industry about ethical limits and national security use.

Anthropic said the increased attention has driven unprecedented user interest, highlighting how regulatory disputes can reshape competition in the AI sector.

Source: TechCrunch