# ChatGPT Statistics 2026: Weekly Users, Growth, Subscribers and Usage

Updated 2026-11-01. Checked by StatisticsGlobal editorial team. OpenAI, Pew Research Center, NBER and Ofcom data, 4 publishers, 15 source documents, data for 2023 to 2026.
Canonical: https://statisticsglobal.org/chatgpt-statistics/

More than 1.2 billion people used ChatGPT each week in October 2026, according to OpenAI. That is up from 700 million in September 2025, a rise of 71% by our calculation. In the US, 44% of adults used ChatGPT in 2026, up from 18% in 2023, according to Pew Research Center. Most use is personal. About 70% of consumer ChatGPT use was not related to work in 2025, according to OpenAI. ChatGPT had more than 50 million subscribers in March 2026.

## Key statistics

- More than 1.2 billion people used ChatGPT each week in October 2026, according to OpenAI.
- ChatGPT weekly users grew 71% in about 13 months to October 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from OpenAI data.
- 44% of US adults used ChatGPT in 2026, according to Pew Research Center.
- ChatGPT had more than 50 million subscribers in March 2026, according to OpenAI.
- About 70% of consumer ChatGPT use was not related to work in 2025, according to OpenAI.

## ChatGPT weekly active users and growth over time

OpenAI is a private company. It publishes weekly user counts only in announcements, as rounded numbers. The table below logs each official figure we could fetch, with the date OpenAI gave it.

More than 1.2 billion people used ChatGPT each week in October 2026, according to OpenAI. In March 2025 the figure was 500 million. By our calculation the user base grew 2.4 times in about 18 months. That is about 39 million extra weekly users a month on average. Growth has not slowed in absolute terms. ChatGPT added roughly 500 million weekly users in the 13 months after September 2025.

The reach is global. An NBER working paper found that about 10% of the world's adults used ChatGPT by July 2025. OpenAI says adoption grew over 4 times faster in the lowest-income countries than in the richest ones by May 2025. In the UK, Ofcom counted 1.8 billion visits to ChatGPT in the first eight months of 2025, against 368 million a year earlier. By our calculation that is 4.9 times as many.

Treat the weekly figures with care. They are company statements, not audited filings. OpenAI chooses when to announce them, and most are lower bounds. No independent panel publishes a worldwide weekly user count. For how ChatGPT's share compares with rival chatbots, see our [AI chatbot market share](https://statisticsglobal.org/ai-chatbot-market-share/) page.

- More than 1.2 billion people used ChatGPT each week in October 2026, according to OpenAI. Source: OpenAI, GPT-6 is now rolling out to all ChatGPT users (OpenAI Developer Community announcement) (7 October 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://community.openai.com/t/gpt-6-is-now-rolling-out-to-all-chatgpt-users/1404163
- ChatGPT had more than 900 million weekly active users in March 2026, according to OpenAI. Source: OpenAI, OpenAI raises $122 billion to accelerate the next phase of AI (31 March 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://openai.com/index/accelerating-the-next-phase-ai/
- ChatGPT had more than 800 million weekly users in November 2025, according to OpenAI. Source: OpenAI, 1 million business customers: the fastest-growing business platform in history (5 November 2025, accessed 1 November 2026) https://openai.com/index/1-million-businesses-putting-ai-to-work/
- ChatGPT had 700 million weekly active users in September 2025, according to OpenAI. Source: OpenAI, How people are using ChatGPT (15 September 2025, accessed 1 November 2026) https://openai.com/index/how-people-are-using-chatgpt/
- ChatGPT had 500 million weekly users in March 2025, according to OpenAI. Source: OpenAI, New funding to build towards AGI (31 March 2025, accessed 1 November 2026) https://openai.com/index/march-funding-updates/
- ChatGPT weekly users grew 71% in about 13 months to October 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from OpenAI data. Source: OpenAI, GPT-6 is now rolling out to all ChatGPT users (OpenAI Developer Community announcement) (7 October 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://community.openai.com/t/gpt-6-is-now-rolling-out-to-all-chatgpt-users/1404163
- ChatGPT weekly users grew 2.4 times between March 2025 and October 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from OpenAI data. Source: OpenAI, GPT-6 is now rolling out to all ChatGPT users (OpenAI Developer Community announcement) (7 October 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://community.openai.com/t/gpt-6-is-now-rolling-out-to-all-chatgpt-users/1404163
- ChatGPT added about 39 million weekly users a month on average between March 2025 and October 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from OpenAI data. Source: OpenAI, GPT-6 is now rolling out to all ChatGPT users (OpenAI Developer Community announcement) (7 October 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://community.openai.com/t/gpt-6-is-now-rolling-out-to-all-chatgpt-users/1404163
- About 10% of the world's adult population used ChatGPT by July 2025, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. Source: National Bureau of Economic Research, How People Use ChatGPT (Working Paper 34255) (September 2025, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.nber.org/papers/w34255
- ChatGPT adoption grew over 4 times faster in the lowest-income countries than in the highest-income countries by May 2025, according to OpenAI. Source: OpenAI, How people are using ChatGPT (15 September 2025, accessed 1 November 2026) https://openai.com/index/how-people-are-using-chatgpt/
- ChatGPT had 1.8 billion UK visits in January to August 2025, up from 368 million in the same period of 2024, according to Ofcom. Source: Ofcom, From apps to AI search: how the UK goes online in 2025 (10 December 2025, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.ofcom.org.uk/media-use-and-attitudes/online-habits/from-apps-to-ai-search-how-the-uk-goes-online-in-2025
- UK visits to ChatGPT grew 4.9 times between January to August 2024 and the same months of 2025, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Ofcom data. Source: Ofcom, From apps to AI search: how the UK goes online in 2025 (10 December 2025, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.ofcom.org.uk/media-use-and-attitudes/online-habits/from-apps-to-ai-search-how-the-uk-goes-online-in-2025

Table: ChatGPT weekly users stated by OpenAI, March 2025 to October 2026

| Date of statement | Weekly users | OpenAI source |
|---|---|---|
| 31 March 2025 | 500 million | New funding to build towards AGI |
| 7 August 2025 | nearly 700 million | GPT-5 and the new era of work |
| 15 September 2025 | 700 million | How people are using ChatGPT |
| 5 November 2025 | more than 800 million | 1 million business customers |
| 27 February 2026 | more than 900 million | Scaling AI for everyone |
| 31 March 2026 | more than 900 million | OpenAI raises $122 billion |
| 7 October 2026 | more than 1.2 billion | GPT-6 rollout announcement |

Source: OpenAI announcements, each linked in the stat cards on this page. Figures are self-reported and rounded. "More than" figures are lower bounds.

## ChatGPT subscribers, business users and revenue

Only a small share of ChatGPT users pay. OpenAI has given subscriber, business and revenue figures in funding and product announcements since 2025.

ChatGPT had more than 50 million subscribers in March 2026, according to OpenAI. Against 900 million weekly users, that is about 5.6% by our calculation. So roughly one weekly user in 18 pays for a consumer plan. The free tier is why OpenAI began testing ads. Its ads pilot passed $100 million in annual recurring revenue in under six weeks.

Business use is growing faster than the consumer base. Paying business users went from 5 million in August 2025 to more than 9 million in February 2026. By our calculation that is a rise of 80% in about seven months, while weekly users rose about 29% over a similar period, from nearly 700 million to more than 900 million. Enterprise customers made up more than 40% of OpenAI revenue in March 2026.

OpenAI said it was generating $2 billion in revenue a month in March 2026. That implies a run rate of about $24 billion a year. It is not the same as reported annual revenue. OpenAI does not publish audited accounts, so these figures cannot be checked against filings.

- ChatGPT had more than 50 million subscribers in March 2026, according to OpenAI. Source: OpenAI, OpenAI raises $122 billion to accelerate the next phase of AI (31 March 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://openai.com/index/accelerating-the-next-phase-ai/
- Paying subscribers equalled about 5.6% of ChatGPT weekly users in March 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from OpenAI data. Source: OpenAI, OpenAI raises $122 billion to accelerate the next phase of AI (31 March 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://openai.com/index/accelerating-the-next-phase-ai/
- 5 million paid users used ChatGPT business products in August 2025, according to OpenAI. Source: OpenAI, GPT-5 and the new era of work (7 August 2025, accessed 1 November 2026) https://openai.com/index/gpt-5-new-era-of-work/
- ChatGPT had more than 7 million ChatGPT for Work seats in November 2025, according to OpenAI. Source: OpenAI, 1 million business customers: the fastest-growing business platform in history (5 November 2025, accessed 1 November 2026) https://openai.com/index/1-million-businesses-putting-ai-to-work/
- More than 9 million paying business users used ChatGPT for work in February 2026, according to OpenAI. Source: OpenAI, Scaling AI for everyone (27 February 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://openai.com/index/scaling-ai-for-everyone/
- Paying ChatGPT business users rose 80% in about seven months to February 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from OpenAI data. Source: OpenAI, Scaling AI for everyone (27 February 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://openai.com/index/scaling-ai-for-everyone/
- More than 1 million business customers were using OpenAI products directly in November 2025, according to OpenAI. Source: OpenAI, 1 million business customers: the fastest-growing business platform in history (5 November 2025, accessed 1 November 2026) https://openai.com/index/1-million-businesses-putting-ai-to-work/
- ChatGPT Enterprise seats grew 9 times year on year to November 2025, according to OpenAI. Source: OpenAI, 1 million business customers: the fastest-growing business platform in history (5 November 2025, accessed 1 November 2026) https://openai.com/index/1-million-businesses-putting-ai-to-work/
- Weekly messages in ChatGPT Enterprise rose roughly 8 times in the year to December 2025, according to OpenAI. Source: OpenAI, The state of enterprise AI (8 December 2025, accessed 1 November 2026) https://openai.com/index/the-state-of-enterprise-ai-2025-report/
- Workers at enterprises using ChatGPT reported saving 40 to 60 minutes a day in 2025, according to OpenAI. Source: OpenAI, The state of enterprise AI (8 December 2025, accessed 1 November 2026) https://openai.com/index/the-state-of-enterprise-ai-2025-report/
- OpenAI generated $2 billion in revenue per month in March 2026, according to OpenAI. Source: OpenAI, OpenAI raises $122 billion to accelerate the next phase of AI (31 March 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://openai.com/index/accelerating-the-next-phase-ai/
- OpenAI revenue ran at about $24 billion a year in March 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from OpenAI data. Source: OpenAI, OpenAI raises $122 billion to accelerate the next phase of AI (31 March 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://openai.com/index/accelerating-the-next-phase-ai/
- Enterprise customers made up more than 40% of OpenAI revenue in March 2026, according to OpenAI. Source: OpenAI, OpenAI raises $122 billion to accelerate the next phase of AI (31 March 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://openai.com/index/accelerating-the-next-phase-ai/
- Search usage in ChatGPT nearly tripled in the year to March 2026, according to OpenAI. Source: OpenAI, OpenAI raises $122 billion to accelerate the next phase of AI (31 March 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://openai.com/index/accelerating-the-next-phase-ai/
- The ChatGPT ads pilot reached more than $100 million in annual recurring revenue in under six weeks in 2026, according to OpenAI. Source: OpenAI, OpenAI raises $122 billion to accelerate the next phase of AI (31 March 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://openai.com/index/accelerating-the-next-phase-ai/

Table: ChatGPT paying users and business figures stated by OpenAI, 2025 to 2026

| Metric | Figure | Date | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paid users of ChatGPT business products | 5 million | August 2025 | n/a |
| ChatGPT for Work seats | more than 7 million | November 2025 | Enterprise seats up 9x year on year |
| Business customers using OpenAI directly | more than 1 million | November 2025 | n/a |
| Paying business users | more than 9 million | February 2026 | +80% since August 2025 (our calculation) |
| Consumer subscribers | more than 50 million | February to March 2026 | n/a |
| Revenue | $2 billion a month | March 2026 | about $24 billion a year run rate (our calculation) |

Source: OpenAI announcements of 7 August 2025, 5 November 2025, 27 February 2026 and 31 March 2026. Self-reported and not audited.

## Share of US adults who use ChatGPT, by age

Pew Research Center has asked US adults about ChatGPT in every year since 2023. It is the longest independent series on ChatGPT adoption.

44% of US adults used ChatGPT in 2026, according to Pew Research Center. In July 2023 the figure was 18%. By our calculation that is a rise of 26 points, or 2.4 times, in about two and a half years. The biggest single jump came between 2024 and 2025, when use rose 11 points.

Age is the clearest divide. 61% of adults aged 18 to 29 use ChatGPT, against 19% of those aged 65 and over, a gap of 42 points. But the gap is closing. Young adult use rose only 3 points between 2025 and 2026, while use among 30 to 49 year olds rose 14 points and use among people 65 and over nearly doubled. Pew found identical shares of men and women use ChatGPT.

Work use is growing fast. 28% of employed adults used ChatGPT for work in 2025, up from 8% in early 2023. Among all adults, 26% had used it for learning and 22% for entertainment. Among teens, 26% had used ChatGPT for schoolwork by late 2024, double the 2023 share. For a wider view of AI chatbot use in search, see our [AI search statistics](https://statisticsglobal.org/ai-search-statistics/) page.

- 44% of US adults used ChatGPT in 2026, according to Pew Research Center. Source: Pew Research Center, Americans and AI 2026: Chatbots, Smart Devices and Views on Impact (full report PDF) (17 June 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/06/PI_2026.06.17_Americans-and-AI_REPORT.pdf
- 34% of US adults had used ChatGPT in 2025, according to Pew Research Center. Source: Pew Research Center, Americans and AI 2026: Chatbots, Smart Devices and Views on Impact (full report PDF) (17 June 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/06/PI_2026.06.17_Americans-and-AI_REPORT.pdf
- 23% of US adults had used ChatGPT in early 2024, according to Pew Research Center. Source: Pew Research Center, Americans and AI 2026: Chatbots, Smart Devices and Views on Impact (full report PDF) (17 June 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/06/PI_2026.06.17_Americans-and-AI_REPORT.pdf
- 18% of US adults had used ChatGPT in July 2023, according to Pew Research Center. Source: Pew Research Center, Americans and AI 2026: Chatbots, Smart Devices and Views on Impact (full report PDF) (17 June 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/06/PI_2026.06.17_Americans-and-AI_REPORT.pdf
- The share of US adults using ChatGPT rose 26 points between July 2023 and February 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Pew Research Center data. Source: Pew Research Center, Americans and AI 2026: Chatbots, Smart Devices and Views on Impact (full report PDF) (17 June 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/06/PI_2026.06.17_Americans-and-AI_REPORT.pdf
- The share of US adults using ChatGPT grew 2.4 times between 2023 and 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Pew Research Center data. Source: Pew Research Center, Americans and AI 2026: Chatbots, Smart Devices and Views on Impact (full report PDF) (17 June 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/06/PI_2026.06.17_Americans-and-AI_REPORT.pdf
- 79% of US adults had heard at least a little about ChatGPT in 2025, according to Pew Research Center. Source: Pew Research Center, 34% of U.S. adults have used ChatGPT, about double the share in 2023 (25 June 2025, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/06/25/34-of-us-adults-have-used-chatgpt-about-double-the-share-in-2023/
- 61% of US adults aged 18 to 29 used ChatGPT in 2026, according to Pew Research Center. Source: Pew Research Center, How Americans' opinions and use of AI differ by age (17 June 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2026/06/17/how-opinions-and-use-of-ai-differ-by-age/
- 19% of US adults aged 65 and over used ChatGPT in 2026, according to Pew Research Center. Source: Pew Research Center, How Americans' opinions and use of AI differ by age (17 June 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2026/06/17/how-opinions-and-use-of-ai-differ-by-age/
- 57% of US adults under 50 used ChatGPT in 2026, against 28% of those aged 50 and over, according to Pew Research Center. Source: Pew Research Center, Americans and AI 2026: Chatbots, Smart Devices and Views on Impact (full report PDF) (17 June 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/06/PI_2026.06.17_Americans-and-AI_REPORT.pdf
- 58% of US adults aged 18 to 29 had used ChatGPT in 2025, according to Pew Research Center. Source: Pew Research Center, 34% of U.S. adults have used ChatGPT, about double the share in 2023 (25 June 2025, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/06/25/34-of-us-adults-have-used-chatgpt-about-double-the-share-in-2023/
- 10% of US adults aged 65 and over had used ChatGPT in 2025, according to Pew Research Center. Source: Pew Research Center, 34% of U.S. adults have used ChatGPT, about double the share in 2023 (25 June 2025, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/06/25/34-of-us-adults-have-used-chatgpt-about-double-the-share-in-2023/
- US adults aged 18 to 29 were 42 points more likely to use ChatGPT than those aged 65 and over in 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Pew Research Center data. Source: Pew Research Center, How Americans' opinions and use of AI differ by age (17 June 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2026/06/17/how-opinions-and-use-of-ai-differ-by-age/
- ChatGPT use among US adults aged 30 to 49 rose 14 points between 2025 and 2026, the largest rise of any age group, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Pew Research Center data. Source: Pew Research Center, How Americans' opinions and use of AI differ by age (17 June 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2026/06/17/how-opinions-and-use-of-ai-differ-by-age/
- ChatGPT use among US adults aged 65 and over grew 1.9 times between 2025 and 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Pew Research Center data. Source: Pew Research Center, How Americans' opinions and use of AI differ by age (17 June 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2026/06/17/how-opinions-and-use-of-ai-differ-by-age/
- 28% of employed US adults used ChatGPT for work in 2025, according to Pew Research Center. Source: Pew Research Center, 34% of U.S. adults have used ChatGPT, about double the share in 2023 (25 June 2025, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/06/25/34-of-us-adults-have-used-chatgpt-about-double-the-share-in-2023/
- The share of employed US adults using ChatGPT for work grew 3.5 times between 2023 and 2025, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Pew Research Center data. Source: Pew Research Center, 34% of U.S. adults have used ChatGPT, about double the share in 2023 (25 June 2025, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/06/25/34-of-us-adults-have-used-chatgpt-about-double-the-share-in-2023/
- 26% of US adults had used ChatGPT for learning in 2025, according to Pew Research Center. Source: Pew Research Center, 34% of U.S. adults have used ChatGPT, about double the share in 2023 (25 June 2025, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/06/25/34-of-us-adults-have-used-chatgpt-about-double-the-share-in-2023/
- 22% of US adults had used ChatGPT for entertainment in 2025, according to Pew Research Center. Source: Pew Research Center, 34% of U.S. adults have used ChatGPT, about double the share in 2023 (25 June 2025, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/06/25/34-of-us-adults-have-used-chatgpt-about-double-the-share-in-2023/
- 26% of US teens had used ChatGPT for schoolwork in 2024, up from 13% in 2023, according to Pew Research Center. Source: Pew Research Center, About a quarter of U.S. teens have used ChatGPT for schoolwork, double the share in 2023 (15 January 2025, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/01/15/about-a-quarter-of-us-teens-have-used-chatgpt-for-schoolwork-double-the-share-in-2023/

Table: Share of US adults who use ChatGPT, by age, 2025 and 2026

| Age group | 2025 | 2026 | Change (our calculation) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All US adults | 34% | 44% | +10 points |
| 18-29 | 58% | 61% | +3 points |
| 30-49 | 41% | 55% | +14 points |
| 50-64 | 25% | 37% | +12 points |
| 65+ | 10% | 19% | +9 points |

Source: Pew Research Center, June 2025 short read (survey of 5,123 adults, 24 February to 2 March 2025) and How Americans opinions and use of AI differ by age (survey of 5,119 adults, 17 to 23 February 2026). The 2025 question asked "Have you ever used ChatGPT?"; the 2026 question asked which chatbots people ever use.

## What people use ChatGPT for

Two studies built on the same OpenAI research classify what people ask ChatGPT. Both used automated classifiers on samples of consumer conversations, so no human read the messages.

Most ChatGPT use is personal. About 70% of consumer use was not related to work in 2025, according to OpenAI. The NBER paper shows the non-work share grew from about 53% to over 70%. Work and non-work use both grew in absolute terms. Personal use simply grew faster.

Asking is the biggest use. 49% of messages seek information or advice, 40% ask ChatGPT to do a task and 11% are personal expression. The two sources differ slightly on topics. OpenAI's summary says practical guidance, seeking information and writing make up three-quarters of conversations. The NBER abstract puts the same three at nearly 80%. Both describe the same 2025 data, rounded differently.

Health is a large niche. More than 5% of all ChatGPT messages were about healthcare in January 2026, according to OpenAI. One in four of its 800 million regular users asked a health question each week. By our calculation that is about 200 million people. The user base is also more balanced than at launch. Users with typically feminine names rose from 37% in January 2024 to 52% in July 2025.

- About 70% of consumer ChatGPT use was not related to work in 2025, according to OpenAI. Source: OpenAI, How people are using ChatGPT (15 September 2025, accessed 1 November 2026) https://openai.com/index/how-people-are-using-chatgpt/
- Non-work messages grew from about 53% to over 70% of consumer ChatGPT use by July 2025, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. Source: National Bureau of Economic Research, How People Use ChatGPT (Working Paper 34255) (September 2025, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.nber.org/papers/w34255
- 49% of consumer ChatGPT messages were requests for information or advice ("Asking") in 2025, according to OpenAI. Source: OpenAI, How people are using ChatGPT (15 September 2025, accessed 1 November 2026) https://openai.com/index/how-people-are-using-chatgpt/
- 40% of consumer ChatGPT use was task work such as drafting, planning or programming ("Doing") in 2025, according to OpenAI. Source: OpenAI, How people are using ChatGPT (15 September 2025, accessed 1 November 2026) https://openai.com/index/how-people-are-using-chatgpt/
- 11% of consumer ChatGPT use was personal reflection, exploration and play ("Expressing") in 2025, according to OpenAI. Source: OpenAI, How people are using ChatGPT (15 September 2025, accessed 1 November 2026) https://openai.com/index/how-people-are-using-chatgpt/
- Practical guidance, seeking information and writing made up nearly 80% of ChatGPT conversations in 2025, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. Source: National Bureau of Economic Research, How People Use ChatGPT (Working Paper 34255) (September 2025, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.nber.org/papers/w34255
- 52% of ChatGPT users with classifiable names had typically feminine names in July 2025, up from 37% in January 2024, according to OpenAI. Source: OpenAI, How people are using ChatGPT (15 September 2025, accessed 1 November 2026) https://openai.com/index/how-people-are-using-chatgpt/
- More than 5% of all ChatGPT messages worldwide were about healthcare in January 2026, according to OpenAI. Source: OpenAI, AI as a Healthcare Ally: How Americans are navigating the system with ChatGPT (January 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://cdn.openai.com/pdf/2cb29276-68cd-4ec6-a5f4-c01c5e7a36e9/OpenAI-AI-as-a-Healthcare-Ally-Jan-2026.pdf
- More than 40 million people asked ChatGPT healthcare questions every day in January 2026, according to OpenAI. Source: OpenAI, AI as a Healthcare Ally: How Americans are navigating the system with ChatGPT (January 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://cdn.openai.com/pdf/2cb29276-68cd-4ec6-a5f4-c01c5e7a36e9/OpenAI-AI-as-a-Healthcare-Ally-Jan-2026.pdf
- About 200 million ChatGPT users asked a healthcare question each week in January 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from OpenAI data. Source: OpenAI, AI as a Healthcare Ally: How Americans are navigating the system with ChatGPT (January 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://cdn.openai.com/pdf/2cb29276-68cd-4ec6-a5f4-c01c5e7a36e9/OpenAI-AI-as-a-Healthcare-Ally-Jan-2026.pdf

Table: How consumer ChatGPT messages split by intent, 2025

| Intent | What it covers | Share of use |
|---|---|---|
| Asking | Seeking information or advice | 49% |
| Doing | Drafting text, planning, programming | 40% |
| Expressing | Personal reflection, exploration and play | 11% |

Source: OpenAI, How people are using ChatGPT (15 September 2025), based on about 1.5 million consumer conversations. Consumer plans only.

## ChatGPT vs other AI chatbots usage

Pew asked US adults in February 2026 which chatbots they ever use. ChatGPT led in every age group.

ChatGPT reached 44% of US adults in 2026. Google Gemini was second at 24%. By our calculation ChatGPT reaches 1.8 times as many adults as Gemini and 7.3 times as many as Claude. Copilot (17%) and Meta AI (14%) sit between them.

The lead is widest among young adults. 61% of 18 to 29 year olds use ChatGPT against 30% for Gemini, about twice as many. OpenAI makes a similar claim worldwide. It says ChatGPT has 6 times the monthly web visits and mobile sessions of the next largest AI app. That is OpenAI's own comparison, and it does not name the data provider. For worldwide traffic share by chatbot, see our [AI chatbot market share](https://statisticsglobal.org/ai-chatbot-market-share/) page, and for the wider market see [generative AI statistics](https://statisticsglobal.org/generative-ai-statistics/).

- 24% of US adults used Google Gemini in 2026, according to Pew Research Center. Source: Pew Research Center, Americans and AI 2026: Chatbots, Smart Devices and Views on Impact (full report PDF) (17 June 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/06/PI_2026.06.17_Americans-and-AI_REPORT.pdf
- 17% of US adults used Microsoft Copilot in 2026, according to Pew Research Center. Source: Pew Research Center, Americans and AI 2026: Chatbots, Smart Devices and Views on Impact (full report PDF) (17 June 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/06/PI_2026.06.17_Americans-and-AI_REPORT.pdf
- 14% of US adults used Meta AI in 2026, according to Pew Research Center. Source: Pew Research Center, Americans and AI 2026: Chatbots, Smart Devices and Views on Impact (full report PDF) (17 June 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/06/PI_2026.06.17_Americans-and-AI_REPORT.pdf
- 8% of US adults used Grok in 2026, according to Pew Research Center. Source: Pew Research Center, Americans and AI 2026: Chatbots, Smart Devices and Views on Impact (full report PDF) (17 June 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/06/PI_2026.06.17_Americans-and-AI_REPORT.pdf
- 6% of US adults used Claude in 2026, according to Pew Research Center. Source: Pew Research Center, Americans and AI 2026: Chatbots, Smart Devices and Views on Impact (full report PDF) (17 June 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/06/PI_2026.06.17_Americans-and-AI_REPORT.pdf
- ChatGPT reached 1.8 times as many US adults as Google Gemini in 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Pew Research Center data. Source: Pew Research Center, Americans and AI 2026: Chatbots, Smart Devices and Views on Impact (full report PDF) (17 June 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/06/PI_2026.06.17_Americans-and-AI_REPORT.pdf
- ChatGPT reached 7.3 times as many US adults as Claude in 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Pew Research Center data. Source: Pew Research Center, Americans and AI 2026: Chatbots, Smart Devices and Views on Impact (full report PDF) (17 June 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/06/PI_2026.06.17_Americans-and-AI_REPORT.pdf
- US adults aged 18 to 29 were twice as likely to use ChatGPT as Gemini in 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Pew Research Center data. Source: Pew Research Center, How Americans' opinions and use of AI differ by age (17 June 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2026/06/17/how-opinions-and-use-of-ai-differ-by-age/
- ChatGPT had 6 times the monthly web visits and mobile sessions of the next largest AI app in 2026, according to OpenAI. Source: OpenAI, OpenAI raises $122 billion to accelerate the next phase of AI (31 March 2026, accessed 1 November 2026) https://openai.com/index/accelerating-the-next-phase-ai/

Table: Share of US adults who use each AI chatbot, by age, 2026

| Chatbot | All adults | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | 44% | 61% | 55% | 37% | 19% |
| Gemini | 24% | 30% | 34% | 20% | 11% |
| Copilot | 17% | 17% | 22% | 19% | 10% |
| Meta AI | 14% | 14% | 17% | 13% | 10% |
| Grok | 8% | 9% | 10% | 7% | 3% |
| Claude | 6% | 10% | 9% | 4% | 1% |
| Character.ai | 3% | 7% | 3% | 1% | 1% |

Source: Pew Research Center, How Americans opinions and use of AI differ by age (17 June 2026). Survey of 5,119 US adults, 17 to 23 February 2026. Each chatbot other than ChatGPT was asked of half the sample.

## How ChatGPT usage is measured, and its limits

The numbers on this page come from three kinds of source. Each measures something different.

OpenAI's weekly user counts are self-reported. They are rounded, announced at times OpenAI chooses and often given as "more than". No auditor checks them. We could not open OpenAI's October 2026 announcement pages directly in this update. The 1.2 billion figure comes from OpenAI's own product announcement posted on the OpenAI Developer Community the same day. Subscriber, business and revenue figures come from funding announcements and carry the same limits.

Pew Research Center measures something else. It asks a representative panel of US adults whether they use ChatGPT. That counts people who use it at all, not weekly users, and covers only the US. In 2026 Pew changed the question from "Have you ever used ChatGPT?" to which chatbots people "ever use". Earlier years were asked only of people who had heard of ChatGPT, then shown among all adults. Small year-on-year changes should be read with that in mind.

The usage studies from OpenAI and the NBER classify samples of consumer conversations with automated tools. They exclude business plans, so they understate work use. Ofcom's UK visit counts are panel estimates of website visits, not people, and exclude app use. Where sources differ, we show each with its own scope and date.


## Frequently asked questions

### How many people use ChatGPT in 2026?

More than 1.2 billion people used ChatGPT each week in October 2026, according to OpenAI. In March 2026 OpenAI said ChatGPT had more than 900 million weekly active users. These are company figures and are not audited.

### How fast is ChatGPT growing compared with last year?

Weekly users grew 71% in about 13 months, from 700 million in September 2025 to more than 1.2 billion in October 2026, by our calculation from OpenAI data. In the US, the share of adults using ChatGPT rose from 34% in 2025 to 44% in 2026, according to Pew Research Center.

### How many people pay for ChatGPT?

ChatGPT had more than 50 million subscribers in March 2026, according to OpenAI. That is about 5.6% of its 900 million weekly users at the time. More than 9 million paying business users also used ChatGPT for work in February 2026.

### What percentage of Americans use ChatGPT, by age?

44% of US adults used ChatGPT in 2026, according to Pew Research Center. Use was 61% among 18 to 29 year olds, 55% among 30 to 49 year olds, 37% among 50 to 64 year olds and 19% among people 65 and over.

### What do people mostly use ChatGPT for?

About 70% of consumer use was not related to work in 2025, according to OpenAI. 49% of messages asked for information or advice, 40% asked ChatGPT to do a task such as writing or planning, and 11% were personal expression.

### Is ChatGPT more popular than Gemini?

Yes, in the US. 44% of adults used ChatGPT in 2026, against 24% for Google Gemini, according to Pew Research Center. By our calculation ChatGPT reaches 1.8 times as many US adults.

## Sources

1. OpenAI, GPT-6 is now rolling out to all ChatGPT users (OpenAI Developer Community announcement), 7 October 2026, accessed 1 November 2026. https://community.openai.com/t/gpt-6-is-now-rolling-out-to-all-chatgpt-users/1404163
2. Pew Research Center, Americans and AI 2026: Chatbots, Smart Devices and Views on Impact (full report PDF), 17 June 2026, accessed 1 November 2026. https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/06/PI_2026.06.17_Americans-and-AI_REPORT.pdf
3. OpenAI, OpenAI raises $122 billion to accelerate the next phase of AI, 31 March 2026, accessed 1 November 2026. https://openai.com/index/accelerating-the-next-phase-ai/
4. OpenAI, How people are using ChatGPT, 15 September 2025, accessed 1 November 2026. https://openai.com/index/how-people-are-using-chatgpt/
5. OpenAI, 1 million business customers: the fastest-growing business platform in history, 5 November 2025, accessed 1 November 2026. https://openai.com/index/1-million-businesses-putting-ai-to-work/
6. OpenAI, New funding to build towards AGI, 31 March 2025, accessed 1 November 2026. https://openai.com/index/march-funding-updates/
7. National Bureau of Economic Research, How People Use ChatGPT (Working Paper 34255), September 2025, accessed 1 November 2026. https://www.nber.org/papers/w34255
8. Ofcom, From apps to AI search: how the UK goes online in 2025, 10 December 2025, accessed 1 November 2026. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/media-use-and-attitudes/online-habits/from-apps-to-ai-search-how-the-uk-goes-online-in-2025
9. OpenAI, GPT-5 and the new era of work, 7 August 2025, accessed 1 November 2026. https://openai.com/index/gpt-5-new-era-of-work/
10. OpenAI, Scaling AI for everyone, 27 February 2026, accessed 1 November 2026. https://openai.com/index/scaling-ai-for-everyone/
11. OpenAI, The state of enterprise AI, 8 December 2025, accessed 1 November 2026. https://openai.com/index/the-state-of-enterprise-ai-2025-report/
12. Pew Research Center, 34% of U.S. adults have used ChatGPT, about double the share in 2023, 25 June 2025, accessed 1 November 2026. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/06/25/34-of-us-adults-have-used-chatgpt-about-double-the-share-in-2023/
13. Pew Research Center, How Americans' opinions and use of AI differ by age, 17 June 2026, accessed 1 November 2026. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2026/06/17/how-opinions-and-use-of-ai-differ-by-age/
14. Pew Research Center, About a quarter of U.S. teens have used ChatGPT for schoolwork, double the share in 2023, 15 January 2025, accessed 1 November 2026. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/01/15/about-a-quarter-of-us-teens-have-used-chatgpt-for-schoolwork-double-the-share-in-2023/
15. OpenAI, AI as a Healthcare Ally: How Americans are navigating the system with ChatGPT, January 2026, accessed 1 November 2026. https://cdn.openai.com/pdf/2cb29276-68cd-4ec6-a5f4-c01c5e7a36e9/OpenAI-AI-as-a-Healthcare-Ally-Jan-2026.pdf