Large language models have been widely adopted since their launch, but new research shows how much they are being embedded into everyday routines.
A working paper released this week by the National Bureau of Economic Research, led by OpenAI’s Economic Research team and Harvard economist David Deming, analysed 1.5 million ChatGPT conversations.
It found that personal use of ChatGPT has overtaken work-related activity, with 73% of all messages in June 2025 falling outside professional tasks, up from 53% a year earlier.
The findings highlight how artificial intelligence is shifting from offices into people’s daily lives worldwide.
Non-work usage rises to 73% as AI becomes a daily tool
The study examined messages sent to ChatGPT on consumer plans.
It showed that personal use now dominates, as more people turn to the chatbot for everyday guidance, tutoring, how-to advice, creative ideation, and problem-solving.
In June, non-work activity represented nearly three-quarters of all interactions.
At work, writing remained the most frequent task, accounting for 40% of workplace-related usage.
Two-thirds of all writing messages asked ChatGPT to edit, critique, or translate existing content rather than produce original drafts.
The study categorised messages as “Asking, Doing, and Expressing,” and found that half of all conversations in July 2025 fell into “Asking,” underscoring ChatGPT’s role as an advisor.
In workplace settings, however, 56% of activity was classified as “Doing,” showing that workers increasingly rely on the chatbot to perform tasks.
Writing was highlighted as a common need across white-collar jobs, reinforcing ChatGPT’s role in supporting skills highly valued by employers.
ChatGPT reaches 10% of the global adult population
The researchers noted that by July 2025, ChatGPT had been used by around 10% of the world’s adult population.
Adoption patterns showed the tool becoming more universal across genders and regions.
In January 2024, 37% of users had names typically identified as feminine, but by mid-2025, that gap had narrowed significantly, aligning with global adult demographics.
The study also revealed faster adoption in lower- and middle-income countries.
Growth rates in the lowest-income nations reached over four times those in the highest-income countries by May 2025.
This trend suggests a widening global reach, with AI tools becoming embedded in communities beyond wealthy regions.
For OpenAI, this reflects not only expanding access but also the development of a more balanced global user base.
Competition intensifies with Google and xAI
Despite its broad uptake, ChatGPT faces strong competition.
Google’s Gemini has grown rapidly, and in August 2025, its “Nano Banana” image editor model drove Gemini to the top of Apple’s App Store for free apps, overtaking ChatGPT.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk’s xAI is also pushing to gain market share.
The study published this week is described as a “privacy-preserving analysis,” though it has not yet been peer-reviewed.
The report offers one of the most detailed insights into how users interact with ChatGPT at scale, showing how the technology is weaving itself into personal routines and professional workflows at the same time.
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