Inside ChatGPT: how people are really using AI in 2025 🤖

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It’s official: OpenAI has just released its first in-depth study on how people actually use ChatGPT. The takeaway? In just two years, the conversational AI has quietly woven itself into daily life, upending a lot of stereotypes along the way. Forget the image of a tool for coders and geeks—ChatGPT has become the cognitive equivalent of a Swiss Army knife, embraced across generations… though not always in the ways you might expect.

Who’s really using ChatGPT? 👥

If you assumed ChatGPT’s core audience was mostly men or professionals, think again. By 2025, the majority of weekly users are now women (52%), a dramatic shift from late 2022 when they made up just 20% of active users. Another standout finding: nearly half of users are under 26, with adoption surging faster in emerging markets than in advanced economies.

From work tool to personal companion 🏠

Perhaps the most striking shift is the move toward personal use. Back in 2024, usage was nearly split between professional and personal queries (53% vs 47%). Today, nearly three-quarters (73%) of conversations fall into the non-professional category. People are turning to ChatGPT for brainstorming, study help, coaching, or even life advice. In practice, it’s becoming more of a daily “copilot” than just a text generator for the office.

So what are people asking? 📝

The study groups interactions into three main categories: asking (49%—advice, explanations), doing (40%—writing or producing something), and expressing (11%—creative or introspective exchanges). The top three use cases? Practical advice (tutoring, organization, health tips), information lookup, and writing support—especially proofreading, editing, and rephrasing existing content.

At work, writing still rules 💼

When it comes to professional use, ChatGPT is still dominated by editorial tasks: 40% of workplace interactions involve writing, mainly editing or improving text. Coding barely registers at 4%. But the report suggests the real professional value lies elsewhere—in decision-making support and boosting productivity for knowledge workers.

A global wave that’s only getting bigger 🌍

In total, an estimated 700 million people now use ChatGPT every week, sending a staggering 18 billion messages. And the wildest part? This wave of adoption is just beginning. Both the user base and the variety of use cases continue to expand, moving further and further from the product’s original “techy” image.

ChatGPT is no longer just a novelty or a workplace tool. The conversational AI is reshaping routines, adapting to different generations, and redefining how we interact with technology. What comes next? Likely new transformations as AI embeds itself even deeper into daily life.

And you—how do you use ChatGPT? More of a personal assistant or a content generator? Share your tips (or frustrations) in the comments.