A new OpenAI study, conducted in collaboration with Harvard economist David Deming and published as a National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) working paper, has found that the majority of ChatGPT usage is centered on personal needs rather than office-related tasks.
70% of ChatGPT Queries Are Personal
Analyzing 1.5 million anonymized conversations, the research team discovered that nearly 70% of all ChatGPT interactions are non-work-related. Instead, users frequently turn to the AI for:
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Practical guidance
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Writing and editing support
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Information seeking
By contrast, only about 30% of queries are tied to workplace use, highlighting how deeply AI has integrated into daily life.
Explosive Growth in ChatGPT Usage
The report revealed that by July 2025, ChatGPT had reached more than 700 million weekly active users, generating around 2.5 billion daily messages—an average of 29,000 per second.
While writing remains the most common professional use (42% of work-related queries, especially among managers and business professionals), the study shows that personal needs dominate. Everyday requests such as decision-making support, drafting personal messages, and refining writing made up nearly 78% of total queries.
Interestingly, two-thirds of writing-related queries involved editing or improving existing drafts, suggesting users increasingly view ChatGPT as a collaborator rather than a content generator.
Niche Uses Remain Limited
While ChatGPT has proven valuable across diverse fields, the study found that niche uses remain relatively small:
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Coding: 4.2% of queries
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Self-reflection & journaling: 1.9%
Adoption Expands Across Genders and Regions
The research also shows that AI adoption has become more inclusive.
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In early 2024, only 37% of users had typically feminine names, but by mid-2025 that figure rose to 52%, closing the gender gap.
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Growth in low- and middle-income countries has been particularly strong, outpacing wealthier nations by more than four times.
OpenAI’s Perspective
Commenting on the findings, OpenAI emphasized that AI’s role now extends well beyond work productivity:
“The findings show that consumer adoption has broadened beyond early-user groups, shrinking the gender gap in particular; that most conversations focus on everyday tasks like seeking information and practical guidance; and that usage continues to evolve in ways that create economic value through both personal and professional use.
This widening adoption underscores our belief that access to AI should be treated as a basic right—a technology that people can access to unlock their potential and shape their own future.”
