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New data reveals what people actually do with ChatGPT – and it’s not just generating text
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- ChatGPT is three years old on Sunday November 30
- Uploading an image to ChatGPT is more popular than creating an AI image
- The most-used ChatGPT task at work is editing and critiquing text
ChatGPT turns three years old on Sunday 30 November, and to celebrate, OpenAI has decided to share some statistics it’s been holding close to its chest about how people use the world’s favourite AI tool.
ChatGPT launched as a fairly unknown “research preview” back in 2022, and today it’s the most popular chatbot on the planet, answering around 29,000 messages per second.
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According to OpenAI, 800 million people a week use it for everything from planning their next road trip to picking out the ripest produce in a grocery store.
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How we use ChatGPT
But how do we use ChatGPT? According to OpenAI, three-quarters of conversations focus on practical guidance, seeking information, and writing.
For work, writing is the main use case, with the majority of requests asking ChatGPT to modify text. Specifically, that means editing, critiquing and translating rather than creating new text from scratch.
When it comes to the top six ways people use ChatGPT globally, OpenAI lists them as:
- Uploading an image
- Searching the web
- Using a reasoning model
- Generating an image
- Data analysis
- Dictation
It’s interesting that “Uploading an image” ranks higher than “Generating an image”. Just as with text use at work, people appear to be uploading their own images and asking ChatGPT to improve them rather than generating entirely new AI content.
Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inboxContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.UK-specific usage
If we’re talking specifically about the UK, the picture changes slightly. OpenAI lists the top UK uses as:
- Writing, drafting or editing communications
- Practical guidance and how-to advice (eg cooking, DIY)
- Seeking information
- Health, fitness and beauty advice
- Learning, tutoring and teaching
- Coaching and support for achieving personal goals
- Shopping and researching products
- Brainstorming, creativity and image generation
- Coding
- Analysis and calculations
These results show that people in the UK are leaning heavily on ChatGPT for completing practical tasks, not just treating it as a novelty. While business applications like coding and analysis come in at the end of the top 10, they are far less important than general productivity tasks and life admin.
Britons clearly see ChatGPT as a low-friction self-improvement tool that fills the gap between Googling and hiring an expert.
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As somebody who has watched ChatGPT grow from its humble origins in 2022 to a giant with 800 million weekly active users just three years later, I think we can safely say we now live in an era where ChatGPT has become ubiquitous.
It’s become another utility – something we reach for without a second thought when we need help or advice.
Right now, shopping is fairly low on the list, but that could change fast, especially now that OpenAI has launched its own shopping research tool. If I were Amazon or Google, I’d be paying attention.
The AI bubble may or may not burst, but what feels certain is that tools like ChatGPT have already become part of our everyday lives. Whatever comes next for artificial intelligence - whether that’s super-powerful AGI or not – the practical, low-friction AI helpers people already rely on aren’t going anywhere.
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Graham BarlowSocial Links NavigationSenior Editor, AIGraham is the Senior Editor for AI at TechRadar. With over 25 years of experience in both online and print journalism, Graham has worked for various market-leading tech brands including Computeractive, PC Pro, iMore, MacFormat, Mac|Life, Maximum PC, and more. He specializes in reporting on everything to do with AI and has appeared on BBC TV shows like BBC One Breakfast and on Radio 4 commenting on the latest trends in tech. Graham has an honors degree in Computer Science and spends his spare time podcasting and blogging.
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