Evans: Lack of network effects makes ChatGPT's early lead fragile
Benedict Evans · A double episode: AI differentiation, and Apple does F1 · Aug 21, 2025 · at 3:48
Benedict Evans analyzes the durability of ChatGPT's consumer lead given the lack of structural network effects in foundational LLMs.
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“Given that there's no network effects, or don't, or not yet any network effects in LLMs, that feels very fragile. Like, you know, if you remember, you know, I cannot, you know, remember, like, everyone used Yahoo, and then everyone switched to Google, because it actually was better. Everyone used MySpace, and we did have network effects, and then people switched to Facebook, because it was better.”
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