Gemini Dethrones ChatGPT as Google Hits $3 Trillion Valuation

Google's Gemini app has surged to the top of the Apple App Store, overtaking ChatGPT for the first time since OpenAI's chatbot launched nearly three years ago. The breakthrough came not from advancements in artificial general intelligence but from viral demand for meme creation and image editing. "Image editing is one of the most popular use cases for Nano Banana," Google tweeted, hinting at the catalyst behind Gemini's rise.

The app's 3D collectible-style portrait feature, which transforms photos into packaged digital artifacts, fueled its explosive growth. Within two weeks of going viral in early September, Gemini claimed the #1 spot on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store globally, adding 23 million first-time users. This surge contributed to Google's market valuation crossing $3 trillion, placing it just behind Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft.