Latest data from the U.S. credit card transaction analysis firm Indagari shows that the number of paid transactions involving Anthropic's large model product Claude has been steadily increasing since 2025. As of May 10, 2026, Claude-related spending has increased by approximately 75% compared to January of this year, with a growth rate significantly higher than the overall AI consumer market.

Data from Learning Platforms Reflect the Surge in Popularity

This growth trend is also evident in the online education sector. DataCamp, a platform with about 20 million users, shows that since early 2026, "Claude" has surpassed the general term "AI" as the most searched keyword on the site. Among individual learners, demand for Claude-related courses is three times that of ChatGPT courses, and in the past 30 days, demand for Claude courses has surged an astonishing 18 times.

Notably, in March this year, Anthropic faced widespread public discussion after refusing to cooperate with the U.S. government to use its models for mass surveillance and autonomous weapons systems. However, this policy conflict did not suppress user growth but instead continued as a long-term upward trend. The outside world generally believes that Anthropic's firm stance inadvertently strengthened its brand image and won more user trust, especially those who value privacy and security.

There are Still Gaps, and the Competitive Landscape Enters a New Phase

Despite the rapid growth, the size gap between Claude and ChatGPT remains significant. According to a report from the market research firm Sensor Tower, ChatGPT still firmly holds the leading position in the consumer AI market, with a much larger number of paying users and consumption base than its competitors, although its growth rate has become relatively stable due to its large scale.