What's happened
Meta AI's app saw a sharp rise in active users and downloads in October, coinciding with the launch of its Vibes feed. Meanwhile, Google’s Gemini 2.5 and Adobe’s Firefly face contrasting trends, highlighting shifts in AI app popularity and competition dynamics.
What's behind the headline?
The recent surge in Meta AI's app activity reflects a strategic pivot towards engaging, short-form AI content, likely aimed at capturing user attention amid fierce competition. The timing suggests that Meta's Vibes feed, launched in late September, has successfully attracted new users and re-engaged existing ones. This growth contrasts with the plateauing or declining metrics seen in other major AI apps like ChatGPT and Firefly, which indicates a market consolidation around innovative, video-centric features.
The data also hints at a possible spillover effect from the hype surrounding OpenAI's Sora, which drew headlines with its video generator. Meta may have benefited from this attention, as users sought alternatives or complementary experiences. Meanwhile, Google’s Gemini 2.5, with its viral Nano Banana image editing feature, has gained significant traction, possibly at the expense of Adobe’s Firefly, which saw a sharp decline in downloads after the Gemini launch.
This pattern underscores a broader trend: AI app success increasingly depends on innovative features that resonate with current user interests, such as video and image editing. Meta’s ability to capitalize on this with Vibes suggests it will continue to invest in short-form AI content to maintain growth. Conversely, traditional AI models that rely solely on text may face stagnation unless they adapt quickly.
Looking ahead, Meta’s growth could signal a shift in user engagement from text-based AI to multimedia-rich experiences, which will likely influence the competitive landscape. The market will probably see further innovation in AI-generated video and images, with established players needing to innovate or risk losing relevance.
What the papers say
The contrasting trends between Meta AI, Google Gemini, and Adobe Firefly highlight the evolving landscape of AI applications. TechCrunch reports that Meta's app saw a 15.58% increase in daily active users globally after launching the Vibes feed, which features short AI videos, while ChatGPT's engagement metrics have declined, indicating a slowdown in growth. Meanwhile, Business Insider UK details how Google's Gemini 2.5, with its Nano Banana image editing feature, surged in downloads, coinciding with a sharp drop in Adobe Firefly's downloads. This suggests that innovative multimedia features are driving user preferences, with Meta and Google capitalizing on this shift. The timing of these developments underscores the importance of engaging, visual AI content in maintaining user interest and market share.
How we got here
Meta AI's app experienced rapid growth in late 2025, with daily active users increasing significantly after launching the Vibes feed in September, which introduced AI-generated short videos. This growth followed a period of plateauing growth and declining engagement metrics for other AI apps, amid rising competition from Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s Sora. The broader AI app market has seen shifts as new models and features are introduced, influencing user preferences and download patterns.
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