OpenAI reveals biggest-ever study of how people are using ChatGPT – here are 3 things we’ve learned
By John-Anthony Disotto
Copyright techradar
Skip to main content
the technology experts
België (Nederlands)
Deutschland
North America
US (English)
Australasia
New Zealand
View Profile
Search TechRadar
Popular Phone Brands
Samsung Galaxy
Google Pixel
Operating Systems
More from Phones
Network Carriers
Phone Accessories
Phone Reviews
Phone Buying Guides
Phone Deals
Chromebooks
Windows Laptops
Gaming Laptops
Desktop PCs
Websites & Apps
Wi-Fi & Broadband
Social Media
Cyber Security
Peripherals
Popular Computing Brands
More from Computing
Computing Reviews
Computing Buying Guides
Computing Deals
Computing News
AI Platforms & Assistants
Apple Intelligence
TV Insights
TV Buying Guides
More for your TV
Home Theatre
Streaming Devices
Entertainment
Prime Video
How to Watch
Smartwatches
Fitness Trackers
Exercise Equipment
Fitness Headphones
Fitness Apps
Smart Rings
Watch Brands
Apple Watch
Google Pixel Watch
Samsung Galaxy Watch
Oral Health
More from Fitness
Fitness News
Fitness Reviews
Fitness Buying Guides
Fitness Deals
Earbuds & AirPods
Wireless Headphones
Wireless Speakers
Portable Players
Audio Streaming
Apple Music
More from Audio
Audio Reviews
Audio Buying Guides
Audio Deals
VPN Services
VPN Security
Camera Types
360 Cameras
Camera Brands
More from Cameras
Camera Accessories
Camera Lenses
Camera Reviews
Camera Buying Guides
Camera Deals
Camera News
Photography
Home Security
Smart Speakers
Smart Lights
Smart Scales
Smart Thermostats
Amazon Echo
Small Appliances
Air Quality
Coffee Machines
Robot Vacuums
Home Brands
Philips Hue
More from Home
Home Reviews
Home Buying Guides
Popular Brands
Tech Radar Pro
Tech Radar Gaming
View Phones
Popular Phone Brands
Samsung Galaxy
Google Pixel
Operating Systems
More from Phones
Network Carriers
Phone Accessories
Phone Reviews
Phone Buying Guides
Phone Deals
View Computing
View Laptops
Chromebooks
Windows Laptops
Gaming Laptops
Desktop PCs
View Software
Components
View Components
View Internet
Websites & Apps
Wi-Fi & Broadband
Social Media
View Security
Cyber Security
View Tablets
Peripherals
View Peripherals
Popular Computing Brands
More from Computing
Computing Reviews
Computing Buying Guides
Computing Deals
Computing News
AI Platforms & Assistants
Apple Intelligence
TV Insights
TV Buying Guides
More for your TV
Home Theatre
Streaming Devices
View Streaming
Entertainment
Prime Video
How to Watch
View Fitness
Smartwatches
Fitness Trackers
Exercise Equipment
Fitness Headphones
Fitness Apps
Smart Rings
Watch Brands
Apple Watch
Google Pixel Watch
Samsung Galaxy Watch
Oral Health
More from Fitness
Fitness News
Fitness Reviews
Fitness Buying Guides
Fitness Deals
Headphones
View Headphones
Earbuds & AirPods
Wireless Headphones
View Speakers
Wireless Speakers
Portable Players
Audio Streaming
View Audio Streaming
Apple Music
More from Audio
Audio Reviews
Audio Buying Guides
Audio Deals
VPN Services
VPN Security
View Cameras
Camera Types
360 Cameras
Camera Brands
More from Cameras
Camera Accessories
Camera Lenses
Camera Reviews
Camera Buying Guides
Camera Deals
Camera News
Photography
Smart Home
View Smart Home
Home Security
Smart Speakers
Smart Lights
Smart Scales
Smart Thermostats
Amazon Echo
Small Appliances
View Small Appliances
Air Quality
Coffee Machines
Robot Vacuums
Home Brands
Philips Hue
More from Home
Home Reviews
Home Buying Guides
View Browse
Popular Brands
Tech Radar Pro
Tech Radar Gaming
Exclusive Apple interview
iPhone 17 Pro
Best laptop
Best web hosting
NYT Wordle today
Don’t miss these
OpenAI says it has proof its tools are making workers more productive
AI Platforms & Assistants
A third of people say they’re now using generative AI daily – here are the top 5 things they’re using it for
Sam Altman may have had bigger plans, but most people are just using ChatGPT as a search engine
3 ways to use the new ChatGPT Study mode that aren’t for homework
People are becoming too dependant on ChatGPT – here’s what you need to look out for
ChatGPT has hijacked our real world conversations
GPT-5 is here – 5 things you need to know about OpenAI’s ‘most useful’ model yet
ChatGPT is getting break reminders and better mental health detection to encourage healthier interactions – here’s how they work
‘We hear you’ – OpenAI’s Sam Altman responds to user concerns at a GPT-5 AMA
If ChatGPT can be fooled by this simple optical illusion, why should I trust it with anything else?
ChatGPT reigns sovereign in the AI chatbot market share as Microsoft Copilot catches up on Perplexity
I tried ChatGPT’s new Study Mode and it’s so good it made me wish I’d had something like this when I was at school
A mysterious new ChatGPT feature has appeared – but what could it mean?
ChatGPT users are still fuming about GPT-5’s downgrades – here are the 4 biggest complaints
Should everyone have access to ChatGPT? AI for all raises some important, yet difficult, questions
AI Platforms & Assistants
OpenAI reveals biggest-ever study of how people are using ChatGPT – here are 3 things we’ve learned
John-Anthony Disotto
16 September 2025
30% work, 70% play
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Getty Images / andres)
OpenAI has just revealed the largest ChatGPT usage survey in history
According to the findings, 70% of ChatGPT users use it outside of work
The survey was conducted by OpenAI’s Economic Research team and Harvard economist David Deming
Open AI just revealed the results of its largest-ever ChatGPT usage study to date, and the insights into how people interact with the AI chatbot are fascinating.
Revealing the study on its blog, OpenAI broke down the results into three key takeaways: Who’s using ChatGPT, what they’re using it for, and how usage of the AI is evolving over time.
The study was conducted by OpenAI’s Economic Research team and Harvard economist David Deming for the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER).
You may like
OpenAI says it has proof its tools are making workers more productive
A third of people say they’re now using generative AI daily – here are the top 5 things they’re using it for
Sam Altman may have had bigger plans, but most people are just using ChatGPT as a search engine
While Future (TechRadar’s parent company) has conducted its own research in the past that has given a great insight into the wider population’s AI usage, getting information directly from the creators of the world’s most popular AI tool gives an excellent insight.
Here are three things we learnt from the world’s biggest study into ChatGPT and how people use it.
1. Usage gaps are closing
According to OpenAI, the gender gap of users taking full advantage of ChatGPT has closed dramatically over the years. Previous research in January 2024 showed of the users who had names that it was possible to classify as masculine or feminine, 37% had “typically feminine names.”
As of July 2025, however, that figure stands at 52%. Now, I have my doubts as to how OpenAI can truly determine the gender of a user interacting with ChatGPT, but considering the massive influx with the same criteria, it’s fair to say that there is far less of a gender gap related to AI than ever before.
Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox
Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.
Contact 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.
Elsewhere, OpenAI reports that the adoption rate in the lowest-income countries is 4 times faster than that of the wealthiest.
2. How people use ChatGPT
According to OpenAI, the main reason people use ChatGPT is to get things done, and “three-quarters of conversations focus on practical guidance, seeking information, and writing.”
OpenAI breaks down how people use ChatGPT into three categories: Asking, Doing, and Expressing. The study claims nearly half of all ChatGPT queries are “Asking” – where a user interacts with AI to get advice. 40% of usage is “Doing” such as “drafting text, planning, or programming,” and 11% of usage is “Expressing”, focused on “personal reflection, exploration, and play.”
You may like
OpenAI says it has proof its tools are making workers more productive
A third of people say they’re now using generative AI daily – here are the top 5 things they’re using it for
Sam Altman may have had bigger plans, but most people are just using ChatGPT as a search engine
While this breakdown might not surprise you, I think it’s interesting to see that writing is in fact the most common work task people use ChatGPT for. Honestly, that doesn’t fill me with much hope, especially considering I spend hours and hours of my day writing without help from AI.
3. Mostly play, less work
This part of the study is the most intriguing, in my opinion. In fact, I’m actually pretty shocked at the results. OpenAI claims 70% of people use ChatGPT in a non-work related fashion, with the study stating “ChatGPT helps improve judgment and productivity.”
Without this study, I’d have honestly believed most people use ChatGPT in a work-based environment, specifically for mundane tasks that don’t require a lot of brain power. Instead, it looks users are interacting with ChatGPT after the office closes and in their spare time, highlighting just how much AI has managed to infiltrate our daily lives.
You can read the full paper with even more statistics on the NBER website. What result from this survey do you find the most interesting? Let us know in the comments below.
You might also like
Character.AI won’t let its chatbots get romantic with teenagers anymore
ChatGPT is getting better at knowing when you need real human support – and I think it’s about time
Character.AI won’t let its chatbots get romantic with teenagers anymore
John-Anthony Disotto
Social Links Navigation
Senior Writer AI
John-Anthony Disotto is TechRadar’s Senior Writer, AI, bringing you the latest news on, and comprehensive coverage of, tech’s biggest buzzword. An expert on all things Apple, he was previously iMore’s How To Editor, and has a monthly column in MacFormat. John-Anthony has used the Apple ecosystem for over a decade, and is an award-winning journalist with years of experience in editorial.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
OpenAI says it has proof its tools are making workers more productive
A third of people say they’re now using generative AI daily – here are the top 5 things they’re using it for
Sam Altman may have had bigger plans, but most people are just using ChatGPT as a search engine
3 ways to use the new ChatGPT Study mode that aren’t for homework
People are becoming too dependant on ChatGPT – here’s what you need to look out for
ChatGPT has hijacked our real world conversations
Latest in ChatGPT
I built the perfect ChatGPT prompt to remove streaming choice paralysis — here’s how to try it
I asked ChatGPT to imagine my life as a 90’s kid with access to AI, and the results were eye-opening
‘The models are really devious’: Sam Altman’s hardware chief says OpenAI wants kill switches built into hardware in case things go wrong
ChatGPT Voice as a Siri replacement? Sam Altman’s on board – and so am I
This is probably the most important graph of 2025 so far and shows how Nvidia’s fortunes are changing for the worse
OpenAI brings back Standard Voice Mode after ChatGPT users pushed back hard
Latest in News
OpenAI reveals biggest-ever study of how people are using ChatGPT – here are 3 things we’ve learned
Adobe Stock celebrates 10th birthday with pay out for contributors and one long-awaited update I think creators will love
Samsung and AMD made a revolutionary SSD together – then it was left to wither in the shadows and nobody knows exactly why
KitchenAid’s enormously popular wooden bowl stand mixer is back – and I think it looks better than ever
Not vibing with Liquid Glass in iOS 26? Here’s how to make it easier on the eyes
Sony reveals that physical software only accounted for 3% of PlayStation sales in the last year, only further fuelling the fire that the PS6 will continue the embrace of digital gaming
LATEST ARTICLES
OpenAI reveals biggest-ever study of how people are using ChatGPT – here are 3 things we’ve learned
KitchenAid’s enormously popular wooden bowl stand mixer is back – and I think it looks better than ever
Did Taylor Swift just resurrect iTunes? Apple’s music app breaks a 6-year silence for the singer’s new album
Google confirms hackers created their own account in sensitive law enforcement portal
Lavazza’s smart new coffee machine automatically adjusts its settings to suit your beans – and it looks stunning too
TechRadar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.
Contact Future’s experts
Terms and conditions
Privacy policy
Cookies policy
Advertise with us
Web notifications
Accessibility Statement
Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street,
Please login or signup to comment
Please wait…
