OpenAI conducted a first-of-its-kind study to show who is using ChatGPT and how. According to the study, the ratio of women to men using the chatbot has become equal over the past year, and AI is now being used more for everyday tasks.
A study by OpenAI and Harvard economist David Deming analyzed more than 1.5 million chatbot conversations, which are used by about 700 million people each month.
According to CNBC, one of the key findings of the study is that as of June 2025, the number of non-work-related messages had increased to 73%, compared to 53% a year earlier. The researchers also noted that the number of users with female names as of July 2025 was 52%. In January 2024, this figure was only 37%.
Another important element is the popularization of ChatGPT in lower- and middle-income countries. In May 2025, the growth rate of the company's chatbot adoption in the lowest-income countries was more than 4 times higher than in the highest-income countries.
According to research, 75% of ChatGPT conversations fall into three broad categories: practical guidance, information search, and writing. Users most often turn to practical advice, training, and creative ideas.
However, the usage differs depending on whether the chatbot is used for work or personal purposes. Writing is the most common type of work use, accounting for 40% of requests. In most of these cases, users ask the chatbot to edit text, provide criticism, or translate, rather than write from scratch.
The study also identified three more usage categories: asking, doing, and expressing. As of July, about half of the messages fell into the "Asking" category, indicating that the chatbot was used to seek information and advice. If we take work use, then "Doing" is the leader, meaning that ChatGPT was used to perform certain work tasks, including writing.
OpenAI also states that this study did not read users' messages. Instead, the researchers used automated tools that classified usage patterns without the need for a human review of the message content.