How People Use ChatGPT: Economic Research Paper on ChatGPT Usage
Summary
A study analyzing ChatGPT’s global usage patterns, demographic trends, and economic implications between 2022 and 2025. Highlights include gender gaps, work vs. non-work usage, and user demographics.
Key quotes
"By July 2025, ChatGPT had been used weekly by more than 700 million users, who collectively sent over 2.5 billion messages per day."
"Non-work-related messages now represent more than 70% of all usage, with work-related messages growing at a slower rate."
"The three most common use cases are Practical Guidance, Writing, and Seeking Information."
"The gender gap in ChatGPT usage has narrowed substantially, with users now more likely to have feminine names."
This research paper, published by OpenAI and authored by researchers from OpenAI, Duke University, and Harvard University, examines the adoption and usage patterns of ChatGPT from its launch in November 2022 through July 2025. The study documents how ChatGPT has been integrated into various aspects of daily life, including work and non-work activities. It uses a privacy-preserving methodology to analyze over 1.1 million de-identified ChatGPT conversations. Key findings include a shift toward non-work-related usage, the dominant role of writing and practical guidance in user interactions, and demographic trends regarding age, gender, and education.