Just under three years since its debut, ChatGPT has amassed over 700 million weekly active users worldwide, accounting for roughly 10 percent of the global adult population. Together, they send more than 2.5 billion messages per day, making it one of the fastest-adopted technologies in history.

1. A Rapidly Diversifying User Base

The gender gap among ChatGPT users has all but disappeared. In the early days post-launch, about 80 percent of user accounts featured typically masculine first names; by mid-2025, users with typically feminine names slightly outnumbered those with masculine names. This shift reflects a broader trend toward more inclusive AI adoption.

Young adults dominate usage. Among users who reported their age, those between 18 and 25 contributed nearly half of all messages sent to ChatGPT. This cohort, historically quick to embrace new technology, also turns out to be the least likely to use the tool for work purposes.

2. Personal Queries Trump Professional Tasks

Despite corporate hype around AI automating the workplace, 70 percent of all ChatGPT interactions are for non-work-related needs. That’s up from 53 percent just one year earlier, signaling that many users view ChatGPT first and foremost as a personal assistant for everyday life rather than solely a productivity engine.

3. What Users Ask vs. What ChatGPT Does

OpenAI’s research team introduced a simple yet powerful framework for user intent:

• Asking (49 percent): Seeking advice or factual information to aid decision-making
• Doing (40 percent): Requesting specific deliverables like drafted text, code snippets, or data summaries
• Expressing (11 percent): Using the chatbot for personal reflection or creative play

Interestingly, “Asking” queries have grown faster than “Doing” over the past year and are correlated with higher user satisfaction. When limited to work contexts, “Doing” queries rise to about 56 percent, underscoring how professionals rely on ChatGPT to execute concrete tasks.

4. Core Use-Case Breakdown

Nearly 80 percent of all conversations fall into three dominant buckets:

• Practical guidance (28.3 percent): How-to advice ranging from cooking tips to DIY repairs
• Writing (28.1 percent): Drafting or editing personal messages, emails, and creative pieces
• Seeking information (21.3 percent): Fact-finding, research, and quick lookup queries

Other categories—such as programming assistance (around 4 percent) or emotional support and companionship (under 2 percent)—remain niche by comparison.

5. Global Democratization of AI

ChatGPT’s uptake has been especially rapid in low- and middle-income countries, where adoption rates grew more than four times faster than in high-income regions. This trend underscores the technology’s potential to bridge access gaps and deliver AI-driven benefits on a truly global scale.

Implications for AI Canada’s Clients

For businesses exploring AI solutions, these insights reveal where ChatGPT’s strengths lie:

• Lean into advisory tools that support decision-making rather than pushing only automation.
• Prioritize features that enhance everyday productivity—from personalized writing assistants to step-by-step guidance modules.
• Consider the diverse demographics of users, tailoring interfaces and prompts for both younger and more experienced audiences.

By aligning product roadmaps with real-world usage patterns, AI Canada Professional Business AI Solutions can help organizations unlock the full economic and human-centric value of generative AI. Order your AI Solutions Package today. Click here to order.