ChatGPT Usage Trends: Beyond the Workplace

A landmark report by OpenAI and academic researchers has unveiled surprising insights into how 700 million weekly active users interact with ChatGPT. Published on September 18, 2025, the study tracks usage patterns since the AI's 2022 launch.

Demographic Shifts in AI Adoption

The data shows accelerating growth—faster than internet or smartphone adoption—with notable increases among:

• Female users (previously underrepresented)
• Adults over 65
• Low-to-middle income countries

This shift suggests ChatGPT is becoming a globally accessible tool, breaking traditional tech adoption barriers.

How People Use ChatGPT

Key findings reveal:

• 70% of conversations are personal/non-work related
• Top uses include:
  • Education support (especially writing)
  • Practical life guidance
  • General information queries
• Work-related usage focuses on:
  1. Data retrieval (60% of work queries)
  2. Document analysis
  3. Decision-making support
  4. Creative problem-solving

The Rise of Inquiry-Based AI Interaction

The report identifies a dominant trend: nearly half of all messages are question-based, with this proportion steadily increasing. Users increasingly treat ChatGPT as a first-stop knowledge resource, paralleling early search engine behaviors.

Key Points from the Report:

1. ChatGPT reaches ~10% of global adults weekly
2. Non-work usage dominates (70% of interactions)
3. Educational applications drive significant engagement
4. Question-based interactions now represent ~50% of messages
5. Work usage concentrates on information synthesis and ideation