Sensor Tower says AI companion apps are emerging as a major consumer category in the United States, with users spending more time in them than in dating apps. The market intelligence company highlighted the trend in its latest State of AI report, which points to a broader surge in consumer adoption of artificial intelligence products.
The report says apps that mention AI-related terms are on pace to generate $12 billion in in-app purchase revenue in the first half of 2026. Sensor Tower also said downloads for this group have climbed 177% compared with the first half of 2023, underscoring how quickly AI-branded products have expanded across mobile platforms.
The company added that the number of apps using labels such as AI, LLM, or machine learning is expected to reach a record level this year. In other words, AI is no longer limited to standalone chatbot products. It is increasingly showing up in consumer apps across shopping, entertainment, productivity, and other categories.
Sensor Tower’s report argues that AI features are influencing more than app store visibility. The company said these tools are shaping how people behave inside products, including how they shop online. It cited Amazon’s AI assistant Rufus as one example, saying shoppers who use it convert at nearly twice the rate of those who do not.
That kind of performance suggests companies are treating AI not just as a marketing label, but as a feature with measurable business impact. For brands and app makers, the message from the report is that AI tools may help keep users engaged, improve conversion, and create new revenue streams.
The report also places AI companion apps in a larger competitive context. While dating apps have long been a staple of mobile subscription spending and time spent, Sensor Tower’s comparison indicates that AI companions are now drawing meaningful engagement of their own. The report does not provide a full ranking of the categories in the material released publicly, but it does signal that AI companionship has become a notable part of the consumer app landscape.
Sensor Tower said the overall AI app market is becoming more crowded as developers rush to add AI features or build products around them. That includes apps centered on chat, personalization, content discovery, and shopping assistance. The company also said it will examine regional performance, market share among large language model providers, monetization patterns, user demographics, retention, and other trends in the full report.
For app developers, the findings point to a market that is still changing quickly. New entrants are challenging established players, according to Sensor Tower, while consumer expectations are also shifting as AI becomes a more common part of everyday digital experiences.
The company framed the report as a broad look at how AI is reshaping the digital ecosystem, with implications for app store strategy, user acquisition, and product design. Its central takeaway is that AI has moved beyond hype and is now affecting how people spend time and money on mobile devices.
Sensor Tower’s latest report does not suggest that AI companions have replaced dating apps in every measure, but it does show that they are attracting significant attention from users in the U.S. market. As more apps add AI capabilities, the competition for engagement is likely to intensify further.