AI Breakout: September 2025
ChatGPT and Claude AI hold the top two spots in September, while n8n is the month's biggest climber.
Updated October 7, 2026 · Changelog
#1ChatGPT holds the top spot
+5n8n, the biggest climberSource: Torii Research, anonymized and aggregated usage data. Published September 10, 2025. Summary figures computed from the 20 apps in this report.
What kinds of apps
Every edition, by theme →Share of the 20 apps in this edition, by theme. Each app has one theme, assigned by Torii Research from what the product does; AI marks the AI themes. Select a theme to filter the list below. How themes work.
Top of the index
Ranked by usage among AI apps. Rank change compares with the previous published edition.
All 20 apps
These are the top AI apps from the period of August 1 to 31, 2025.
Productivity
ChatGPT
ChatGPT is an AI chatbot developed by OpenAI. It uses natural language processing to understand…
About ChatGPT
ChatGPT is an AI chatbot developed by OpenAI. It uses natural language processing to understand and generate human-like text, enabling it to answer questions, write various creative content, and engage in conversations. It's widely used for information retrieval, content creation, and interactive communication.
Theme: AI assistants · AI-native
Vendor claims: SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR
Productivity
Claude AI
Claude AI is a large language model developed by Anthropic, designed to be helpful, harmless,…
About Claude AI
Claude AI is a large language model developed by Anthropic, designed to be helpful, harmless, and honest. It's known for its strong conversational abilities, advanced reasoning skills, and adherence to ethical guidelines, making it suitable for a wide range of tasks from content generation to complex problem-solving.
Theme: AI assistants · AI-native
Vendor claims: SOC 2, GDPR
Productivity
Grammarly
Grammarly is an AI-powered writing assistant that helps users improve their writing. It checks…
About Grammarly
Grammarly is an AI-powered writing assistant that helps users improve their writing. It checks for grammar, spelling, punctuation, clarity, engagement, and delivery errors, offering real-time suggestions to enhance text quality across various platforms and applications.
Theme: AI content and media · AI-native
Vendor claims: SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR
Developer Tools
Cursor AI
Cursor AI is an AI-powered code editor designed to help developers write, edit, and debug code…
About Cursor AI
Cursor AI is an AI-powered code editor designed to help developers write, edit, and debug code more efficiently. It integrates AI directly into the coding workflow, offering features like code generation, error fixing, and intelligent suggestions to accelerate development and improve code quality.
Theme: AI coding and building · AI-native
Vendor claims: SOC 2, GDPR
Productivity
OpenAI
OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company that aims to ensure artificial general…
About OpenAI
OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company that aims to ensure artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity. They develop powerful AI models like GPT-4 for natural language processing and DALL-E for image generation, pushing the boundaries of AI capabilities.
Theme: AI assistants · AI-native
Vendor claims: SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR
IT & Security
Zapier
Zapier is an online automation tool that connects your favorite apps, like Gmail, Slack, and…
About Zapier
Zapier is an online automation tool that connects your favorite apps, like Gmail, Slack, and Mailchimp. It allows you to automate repetitive tasks and workflows without writing any code. You can create Zaps, which are automated workflows that link two or more apps.
Theme: Ops, HR, and finance
Vendor claims: SOC 2, GDPR
Analytics & BI
Perplexity AI
Perplexity AI is an AI-powered search engine that provides direct answers to user queries by…
About Perplexity AI
Perplexity AI is an AI-powered search engine that provides direct answers to user queries by synthesizing information from various sources on the web, rather than just listing links. It aims to offer comprehensive, cited responses, acting as a conversational answer engine.
Theme: AI assistants · AI-native
Vendor claims: none listed
Productivity
NotebookLM
NotebookLM is an AI-powered research and writing assistant from Google. It helps you understand…
About NotebookLM
NotebookLM is an AI-powered research and writing assistant from Google. It helps you understand and synthesize information from your sources, like documents, PDFs, and web pages. It can generate summaries, outlines, and even first drafts, making your research process more efficient.
Theme: AI assistants · AI-native
Vendor claims: SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR
Developer Tools
Google AI Studio
Google AI Studio is a web-based platform designed to help developers quickly prototype and…
About Google AI Studio
Google AI Studio is a web-based platform designed to help developers quickly prototype and build generative AI applications. It offers a suite of tools for exploring, customizing, and deploying large language models, simplifying the process of integrating powerful AI capabilities into various projects.
Theme: AI coding and building · AI-native
Vendor claims: SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR
Developer Tools
Gemini Code Assist
Gemini Code Assist is an AI-powered coding companion that helps developers write, debug, and…
About Gemini Code Assist
Gemini Code Assist is an AI-powered coding companion that helps developers write, debug, and optimize code more efficiently. It offers features like intelligent code completion, error detection, and suggestions for best practices, aiming to streamline the development workflow and enhance productivity.
Theme: AI coding and building · AI-native
Vendor claims: ISO 27001
Productivity
Granola
Granola is an AI-powered meeting notepad that transcribes meetings and audio, automatically…
About Granola
Granola is an AI-powered meeting notepad that transcribes meetings and audio, automatically summarizes discussions, and enhances manual notes, helping professionals capture, organize, and share actionable insights without intrusive meeting bots.
Theme: AI notes and voice · AI-native
Vendor claims: GDPR
Sales & Marketing
Fireflies.ai
Fireflies.ai is an AI notetaker that records, transcribes, and summarizes meetings. It…
About Fireflies.ai
Fireflies.ai is an AI notetaker that records, transcribes, and summarizes meetings. It integrates with popular conferencing platforms and helps teams automate meeting notes, track action items, and create searchable knowledge bases from conversations.
Theme: AI notes and voice · AI-native
Vendor claims: SOC 2, GDPR
Productivity
Grok
Grok is an AI chatbot developed by xAI, Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company. It is…
About Grok
Grok is an AI chatbot developed by xAI, Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company. It is designed to be humorous and rebellious, often answering questions with wit and sarcasm. Grok aims to provide a distinct personality in the AI assistant space, distinguishing itself from more formal language models.
Theme: AI assistants · AI-native
Vendor claims: GDPR
Project Management
ClickUp
ClickUp is a comprehensive project management and productivity platform designed to streamline…
About ClickUp
ClickUp is a comprehensive project management and productivity platform designed to streamline workflows. It offers customizable features like tasks, docs, goals, and whiteboards to help teams plan, organize, and collaborate efficiently, consolidating various tools into one intuitive workspace for enhanced productivity.
Theme: Work suites and collaboration
Vendor claims: SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR
Operations
n8n
n8n is a powerful open-source workflow automation tool. It allows users to connect various apps…
About n8n
n8n is a powerful open-source workflow automation tool. It allows users to connect various apps and services, automate tasks, and create complex workflows without writing code. Ideal for integrating APIs and streamlining business processes, n8n helps users save time and increase efficiency.
Theme: AI agents · AI-native
Vendor claims: GDPR
Developer Tools
ollama
Ollama is a powerful tool for running large language models locally on your computer. It…
About ollama
Ollama is a powerful tool for running large language models locally on your computer. It simplifies the process of setting up and interacting with various open-source models, making AI accessible for developers and researchers to experiment, prototype, and build applications without relying on cloud services.
Theme: AI coding and building · AI-native
Vendor claims: none listed
Productivity
Notion Mail
Notion Mail is an email client that integrates with Notion, allowing users to manage their…
About Notion Mail
Notion Mail is an email client that integrates with Notion, allowing users to manage their emails directly within their Notion workspace. It streamlines workflows by connecting email communications with project management, notes, and tasks, offering a unified platform for enhanced productivity and organization.
Theme: Personal productivity · AI-native
Vendor claims: SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR
Productivity
ChatOn
ChatOn is a versatile messaging application offering a rich communication experience. It allows…
About ChatOn
ChatOn is a versatile messaging application offering a rich communication experience. It allows users to send texts, photos, and videos, make free calls, and share their location. With features like group chat, message recall, and various customization options, ChatOn aims to provide a comprehensive and engaging platform for connecting with friends and family.
Theme: AI assistants · AI-native
Vendor claims: none listed
Design
Midjourney
Midjourney is an AI art generator that creates images from text prompts. It is known for its…
About Midjourney
Midjourney is an AI art generator that creates images from text prompts. It is known for its ability to produce highly artistic and often surreal visuals. Users can guide the AI with various parameters to achieve desired styles, making it a popular tool for artists and designers.
Theme: AI content and media · AI-native
Vendor claims: GDPR
Operations
ElevenLabs
ElevenLabs is an AI-powered voice technology company that develops realistic and versatile…
About ElevenLabs
ElevenLabs is an AI-powered voice technology company that develops realistic and versatile synthetic voices. Its platform allows users to generate natural-sounding speech from text, clone voices, and translate audio, serving various applications from content creation to accessibility tools.
Theme: AI content and media · AI-native
Vendor claims: SOC 2, GDPR
Source: Torii Research, anonymized and aggregated usage data. Published September 10, 2025. Summary figures computed from the 20 apps in this report.
What the data says
ChatGPT and Claude AI stay at #1 and #2, and Grammarly moves back up to #3, swapping places with Cursor AI.
n8n climbs 5 places to #15 a month after joining the ranking, and Granola gains 4 places to #11.
ollama returns to the ranking and ChatOn joins it, while Gemini Code Assist falls 3 places to #10.
Based on anonymized, aggregated usage data from August 1 to 31, 2025.
Bottom line
The most notable shift this month is n8n, up 5 places to #15 a month after joining the ranking. These reports are made possible by Torii, the SaaS Management Platform, which monitors SaaS usage in real time.
The data
Show the full data table (20 rows)
| Rank | App | Category | Theme | AI-native | Rank change | Shadow IT index | SOC 2 claimed | ISO 27001 claimed | GDPR claimed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ChatGPT | Productivity | AI assistants | Yes | Same | 33 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2 | Claude AI | Productivity | AI assistants | Yes | Same | 56 | Yes | No | Yes |
| 3 | Grammarly | Productivity | AI content and media | Yes | +1 | 38 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 4 | Cursor AI | Developer Tools | AI coding and building | Yes | -1 | 38 | Yes | No | Yes |
| 5 | OpenAI | Productivity | AI assistants | Yes | +1 | 38 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 6 | Zapier | IT & Security | Ops, HR, and finance | No | -1 | 37 | Yes | No | Yes |
| 7 | Perplexity AI | Analytics & BI | AI assistants | Yes | +1 | 62 | No | No | No |
| 8 | NotebookLM | Productivity | AI assistants | Yes | +1 | 44 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 9 | Google AI Studio | Developer Tools | AI coding and building | Yes | +1 | 64 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 10 | Gemini Code Assist | Developer Tools | AI coding and building | Yes | -3 | 65 | No | Yes | No |
| 11 | Granola | Productivity | AI notes and voice | Yes | +4 | 58 | No | No | Yes |
| 12 | Fireflies.ai | Sales & Marketing | AI notes and voice | Yes | Same | 61 | Yes | No | Yes |
| 13 | Grok | Productivity | AI assistants | Yes | Same | 66 | No | No | Yes |
| 14 | ClickUp | Project Management | Work suites and collaboration | No | -3 | 48 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 15 | n8n | Operations | AI agents | Yes | +5 | 49 | No | No | Yes |
| 16 | ollama | Developer Tools | AI coding and building | Yes | New | 60 | No | No | No |
| 17 | Notion Mail | Productivity | Personal productivity | Yes | +1 | 63 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 18 | ChatOn | Productivity | AI assistants | Yes | New | 65 | No | No | No |
| 19 | Midjourney | Design | AI content and media | Yes | -3 | 58 | No | No | Yes |
| 20 | ElevenLabs | Operations | AI content and media | Yes | -1 | 54 | Yes | No | Yes |
Free to quote with attribution to Torii Research and a link to this page. A plain-text version is at ai-breakout-september-2025.md.
How to read this index
- Rank
- Position by real usage among AI-driven apps in this edition.
- Rank change
- Places gained or lost versus the previous published edition. New marks an app that was not in that edition.
- Shadow IT index
- How often the app is left unsanctioned, 0 to 100.
Definitions in the glossary; formulas and limitations on the Methodology page.
Changelog
- ClarificationTidied the wording of the conclusion.
- ClarificationStandardized the data source description.
- UpdateAdded takeaways from this edition's data.
- UpdateMoved from toriiresearch.com; title standardized.