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World’s Largest ChatGPT Study Shows How The Bot Shapes Daily Life
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
OpenAI released on Monday what it calls “the largest study to date of how people are using ChatGPT,” exploring how the chatbot is shaping daily life and work.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- ChatGPT adopted by 10% of world’s adults by July 2025.
- Over 700 million weekly users send 2.5 billion messages daily.
- About 49% of chats are for advice
The study , conducted with Harvard economist David Deming and published as a National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) working paper, analyzed 1.5 million conversations.
“We’re releasing the largest study to date of how people are using ChatGPT, offering a first-of-its-kind view into how this broadly democratized technology creates economic value through both increased productivity at work and personal benefit,” OpenAI stated .
The study reveals that ChatGPT user base grew to 700 million weekly active users who sent 2.5 billion daily messages. The chatbot has been used by around 10% of the world’s adult population by July 2025.
Research indicates that worldwide adoption rates have increased, especially in low- and middle-income countries, where growth has been over four times faster than in richer nations.
One major finding is that the early gender gap in usage has closed. “As of mid-2025, ChatGPT’s early gender gaps have narrowed dramatically, with adoption resembling the general adult population,” the report said. By July 2025, more than half of weekly active users had female first names.
Most people are turning to ChatGPT for everyday tasks. According to the research paper, “the three most common ChatGPT conversation topics are Practical Guidance, Writing, and Seeking Information, collectively accounting for nearly 78% of all messages.”
Writing dominates work-related tasks, while personal queries such as reflection, advice, and play are growing quickly.
OpenAI explained, “About half of messages (49%) are ‘Asking,’ a growing and highly rated category that shows people value ChatGPT most as an advisor rather than only for task completion.”
However it is important to note that earlier results from a study by OpenAI and MIT examining ChatGPT’s effects on users’ well-being, showed some potentially worrying trends.
Results showed that heavier use of the chatbot, especially for more personal inquiries, reported greater loneliness, isolation and reliance on the system. The researchers did not present solutions yet they demonstrated that sustained, intimate AI interactions can affect mental health.
While ChatGPT drives productivity and guidance, the study also warns that heavy, personal use may impact users’ mental well-being over time.
Image by Mina Rad, from Unsplash
One-Third Of UK Companies Monitor Staff Using ‘Bossware’
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
A third of UK employers use “bossware” to monitor employee activity.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- Most common surveillance includes emails, web browsing, and screen activity.
- One in seven employers records or reviews staff screens.
- 42% of managers oppose monitoring, citing trust and privacy concerns.
The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) shared its report findings with The Guardian , showing how the use of “bossware” technology is monitoring one-third of UK employers, tracking their activities, including emails, web browsing, and screen usage.
Private companies are the most likely to deploy in-work surveillance, with one in seven employees being monitored via screen recording.
The CMI findings, based on responses from hundreds of UK managers, suggest that computerized work monitoring is on the rise. The Guardian reports that in 2023, less than a fifth of workers thought they were being watched, according to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
About a third of managers report monitoring online activity on company devices, though many admit they are unsure of the exact tracking measures in place. Many firms argue that monitoring protects sensitive information and detects dips in productivity. But the trend has caused unease among staff and managers alike.
The Guardian reports that an insurance company manager, who works with AI performance tracking systems, expressed concern: “Do they not trust their employees to do their jobs and are they looking to replace them with AI?”
Employee monitoring can include tracking idle time, app usage, keystrokes, screenshots, and use of unapproved AI or social media. The ICO warned that bosses “must make their employees aware of the nature, extent and reasons for monitoring” and said excessive oversight “can undermine people’s privacy, especially if they are working from home,” as reported by The Guardian.
Petra Wilton, CMI director of policy, said: “If it is being used, it is incredibly important employers are open, otherwise that’s going to cause significant problems in terms of data privacy and protection,” reported The Guardian.
The workplace surveillance system at PwC monitors employee attendance through its “traffic light” system, while HSBC has announced plans to install 1,754 security cameras and biometric readers, as reported by The Guardian.
The survey showed that 53% of managers backed monitoring on company devices, yet 42% opposed it, citing trust issues, misuse of devices, and unfair performance evaluations.
