In a surprising turn of events, businesses are now less inclined to utilize ChatGPT, marking the first decline in usage since its launch in November 2022. Recent analysis from the US software firm Netskope reveals that only 78% of organizations are using the AI chatbot, down from 80% just six months ago.

This dip makes ChatGPT the only AI platform to experience a downturn during this period, according to data derived from a comprehensive analysis of 3,500 customers across 317 AI applications and chatbots.

What’s behind this change? Companies are pivoting towards competitors like Google’s Gemini and Microsoft Copilot, which are seamlessly integrated into popular office workflows, such as Microsoft Office 365 and GitHub. Even though ChatGPT is still the go-to choice for many—sitting at the top with 78% usage, while Gemini trails with 55% and Copilot at 37%—the shift is telling.

Intriguingly, 90% of businesses are instructing employees to directly engage with AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot as they navigate the ever-evolving workplace landscape.

Other noteworthy contenders gaining traction include Anthropic's Claude, the innovative Perplexity AI, Grammarly for spellchecking, and Gamma AI, designed to enhance PowerPoint presentations.

However, with great power comes great responsibility. Along with the rapid adoption of these AI tools, companies face significant risks, particularly regarding data protection. The report highlights that sharing sensitive data or intellectual property remains a considerable concern when employees use AI chatbots.

As companies leverage generative AI to summarize documents, analyze large data sets, or generate code, they risk exposing confidential information with every prompt they submit.

The situation has escalated—prompt submissions to AI bots have soared 30-fold in just a year, with companies now sending an average of 7.7 gigabytes of data monthly, a dramatic increase from 250 megabytes in 2024.

The report warns that this explosive growth in data exchanged with generative AI applications greatly amplifies the risk of data breaches.

As we move further into 2025, businesses and employees alike must tread carefully in this digital frontier, balancing the benefits of AI integration with the imperative of safeguarding sensitive information.