Who's Using ChatGPT? OpenAI's Largest-Ever Study Reveals Three Surprising Findings

ChatGPT is no longer just a toy for tech enthusiasts. OpenAI and Harvard University have teamed up to release a new study revealing the real usage habits of 700 million users worldwide, changes in gender and income gaps, and how AI is creating amazing economic value in work and life. Get the full report now.

Ever since ChatGPT came out, the technology has taken the world by storm at an unprecedented rate. But have you ever wondered, behind the hype, how are people actually using it? Is it for coding, writing reports, or just for fun?

To solve this puzzle, OpenAI’s economic research team collaborated with Harvard University economist David Deming to conduct the largest study of ChatGPT usage to date. This working paper, published by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), uses privacy-preserving analysis to delve into a staggering 1.5 million conversation records, painting a new picture of AI applications for us.

This is not just a data report; it reveals how this popular technology is quietly creating tangible economic value in our workplaces and daily lives. Here are some of the most striking findings.

Finding 1: The user profile is changing, and AI is truly going mainstream.

Remember when everyone thought AI was the exclusive domain of men and tech enthusiasts? That stereotype may be about to be broken.

The study shows that the early gender gap in ChatGPT has narrowed significantly. By mid-2025, among users whose names could be identified by gender, the proportion of those with typically female names had risen from 37% in early 2024 to over half (52%). This means the user base is increasingly approaching the real-world population distribution.

Even more exciting is that ChatGPT has become a global tool, with particularly rapid growth in low- and middle-income countries. As of May 2025, the adoption growth rate in the poorest countries was more than four times that of the highest-income countries. This clearly shows that AI is crossing geographical and economic divides and truly becoming universal. This also confirms OpenAI’s core belief: access to AI should be considered a fundamental right, allowing everyone to unlock their potential and shape the future.

Finding 2: Not just a work tool, but a life assistant.

So, what are the 700 million active users worldwide actually doing with ChatGPT? The answer may be more “down-to-earth” than you think.

The study found that a whopping three-quarters of conversations revolve around three major daily tasks: seeking practical guidance, looking up information, and writing. Among them, “writing” is the task most related to work, while more specialized or personal uses like programming or self-expression are relatively niche.

To better understand user “intent,” the research team proposed an interesting three-category classification: Asking, Doing, and Expressing.

• Asking - 49%: This is the largest category of use, where users treat ChatGPT as a consultant, seeking advice and guidance. This type of conversation has the highest satisfaction rate and is still growing, showing that people highly value its role as a “decision-making aid.”
• Doing - 40%: This type of use has a clear goal, such as drafting a letter, planning a trip, or writing code, requiring the model to directly produce results or complete specific tasks.
• Expressing - 11%: This includes personal reflection, exploring ideas, and role-playing, which are interactions that are neither asking nor doing.

This finding tells us that ChatGPT’s value is far more than just a task execution tool; it’s more like a smart consultant on standby at all times.

Finding 3: The evolving value: a dual impact on work and life.

ChatGPT’s economic impact is reflected in both work and personal life.

The data shows that about 30% of consumer use is work-related, while a staggering 70% is for non-work matters. Interestingly, both types of usage are continuously growing. This highlights ChatGPT’s dual role: it is both a productivity tool and a driving force for enriching daily life. Sometimes, it even creates value that is difficult to measure with traditional GDP indicators.

A key way this value is created is through “decision support.” Especially in knowledge-intensive work, ChatGPT can help people improve their judgment and efficiency. As users continue to discover new benefits and uses, their depth of use also increases—the activity of early adopter groups continues to rise over time.

In conclusion, this largest-ever study not only shows us “who” is using AI and “why,” but more importantly, it proves that AI is creating real, widespread economic value and is increasingly becoming an indispensable part of our work and lives.

Read the full report: For more detailed research results, methodology, and data analysis, please refer to the full NBER working paper.

A note on user privacy: In this study, researchers did not read any user messages. All analysis was done through automated tools that can classify usage patterns without human review of message content to ensure user privacy.