You opened ChatGPT to ask one question. Three prompts later, you're refining, iterating, and exploring tangents you didn't plan for. The session that started as "quick search replacement" turned into 15 minutes of conversation.
ChatGPT users spend an average of 12 minutes and 24 seconds per session (Semrush, November 2024), and most users return multiple times daily. With 900 million weekly active users as of December 2025, ChatGPT has become the 6th most visited website in the world (SimilarWeb, 2025). The platform generates 5.72 billion monthly visits (January 2026) and processes 2.5 billion queries daily. This is screen time that didn't exist before November 30, 2022 - when ChatGPT launched and reached 1 million users in 5 days.
Unlike social media platforms designed to maximize engagement, ChatGPT is intent-driven. Users come with questions, tasks, or problems to solve. 72% of traffic is desktop (SimilarWeb, 2025), signaling work and productivity use rather than casual scrolling. But the platform's voice mode, memory features, and conversational interface are creating new patterns. 59% of US teens now use ChatGPT (Pew Research, December 2025), more than Discord, Reddit, or Twitter. And research from MIT Media Lab shows that very high usage correlates with increased self-reported dependence, especially when users engage via voice mode or view the AI as a companion rather than a tool.
This page compiles comprehensive data on exactly how much time people spend on ChatGPT, how usage varies by age and country, what the mental health implications are for AI chatbot interactions, and why this represents an entirely new category of screen time. All statistics are cited with sources.
| 12 minutes 24 seconds per session - Average time spent on ChatGPT per web session, with most users returning 2-3 times daily for a total of 25-37 minutes of AI chat time (Semrush via Backlinko, November 2024) |
| 900 million weekly active users - ChatGPT's user base as of December 2025, up from 50 million in January 2023. The platform added 600 million users in a single year (OpenAI via Backlinko, December 2025) |
| 2 months to reach 100 million users - The fastest adoption of any consumer technology except Threads (2 days). ChatGPT reached 1 million users in 5 days at launch (Statista via DemandSage, 2026) |
| 59% of US teens have used ChatGPT - Making it the most widely adopted AI chatbot among teenagers, with 26% using it for schoolwork (doubled from 13% in 2023) (Pew Research, December 2025) |
| 2.5 billion queries per day - Daily question volume processed by ChatGPT as of July 2025, with 2% involving emotional support or personal reflection (OpenAI via DemandSage, 2026) |
| 72% desktop traffic - Opposite of social media platforms (mostly mobile), reflecting ChatGPT's use for work, research, and productivity rather than casual scrolling (SimilarWeb via DemandSage, 2025) |
Table of Contents
- How Much Time Do People Spend on ChatGPT?
- ChatGPT vs Other Platforms
- ChatGPT User Demographics
- ChatGPT Engagement and Usage Patterns
- ChatGPT Growth Over Time
- Mental Health and ChatGPT Usage
- How to Manage ChatGPT Screen Time
- FAQ
How Much Time Do People Spend on ChatGPT?
ChatGPT's usage pattern differs from every social media platform. Users don't scroll a feed. They arrive with intent, ask questions, iterate on answers, and leave when the task is complete. But those sessions add up.
Average Session Duration
12 minutes and 24 seconds is the average time spent per ChatGPT web session (Semrush via Backlinko, November 2024). Other sources report similar figures:
- 12 minutes 41 seconds per session (SimilarWeb via Exploding Topics, December 2025)
- 7 minutes 4 seconds per session (SimilarWeb via DemandSage, 2025 - may reflect different measurement period)
- 6-7 pages per visit on average (SimilarWeb, 2025)
The consistency across sources confirms that ChatGPT sessions cluster around 10-12 minutes for typical web use. This is longer than a Google search (seconds) but shorter than a YouTube video binge (30-60 minutes).
Total Daily Time Estimate
Most ChatGPT users return multiple times per day:
- 5.72 billion monthly visits (January 2026)
- ~900 million weekly active users (December 2025)
- Estimated 7 visits per user per month (5.72B visits / ~800M users)
If a typical active user has 2-3 sessions daily at 12 minutes each, total daily ChatGPT time ranges from 24 to 37 minutes. This rivals Instagram (33-42 min/day) and exceeds Snapchat (30 min/day).
Key insight: ChatGPT represents new screen time, not replacement time. Users aren't abandoning social media for AI chat. They're adding AI sessions on top of existing digital habits. This is a net increase in humanity's total screen hours.
Desktop vs Mobile Usage
ChatGPT's device split is opposite to every major social platform:
- 72.1% desktop traffic
- 27.9% mobile traffic
Source: SimilarWeb via DemandSage, 2025
For comparison:
| Platform | Desktop Traffic | Mobile Traffic |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | 72% | 28% |
| TikTok | 10% | 90% |
| 15% | 85% | |
| YouTube | 40% | 60% |
| 35% | 65% |
Desktop dominance signals work and productivity use cases. People open ChatGPT from their computers to draft emails, debug code, research topics, or summarize documents. Mobile use (28%) reflects convenience checking on the go but isn't the primary behavior.
Daily Query Volume
ChatGPT processes 2.5 billion queries per day as of July 2025 (OpenAI via DemandSage, 2026). At 900 million weekly active users, this averages:
- ~2.8 queries per active user per day
- Or ~19 queries per week for weekly active users
This suggests brief, focused interactions rather than extended conversations for most users. A typical session might involve 2-3 follow-up prompts to refine an initial query.
ChatGPT vs Other Platforms
ChatGPT occupies a unique position: larger user base than most social platforms, but fundamentally different usage patterns.
User Base Comparison
| Platform | Weekly/Monthly Active Users | Year Launched |
|---|---|---|
| ~4.3 billion MAU | 1998 | |
| YouTube | ~2.7 billion MAU | 2005 |
| 3.07 billion MAU | 2004 | |
| ~2 billion MAU | 2010 | |
| TikTok | ~1.6 billion MAU | 2016 |
| ChatGPT | 900 million WAU | 2022 |
| Snapchat | 414 million DAU | 2011 |
| 121.4 million DAU | 2005 |
Sources: Platform disclosures, SimilarWeb, Backlinko (2024-2026)
ChatGPT's 900 million weekly active users places it above Snapchat, Reddit, Twitter/X, and Pinterest. Only YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok have larger audiences. And ChatGPT reached this scale in 3 years, compared to Instagram's 12 years or YouTube's 18.
Session Duration Comparison
| Platform | Avg Session Time | Primary Interaction |
|---|---|---|
| TikTok | ~32 min | Video feed scrolling |
| YouTube | ~22 min | Video watching |
| ChatGPT | ~12 min | Text/voice query-response |
| ~11 min | Search queries | |
| ~8 min | Photo/Reels scrolling |
ChatGPT sessions sit between search (quick, transactional) and social media (extended, exploratory). The 12-minute average suggests users arrive with purpose but stay longer than they would on Google, iterating and refining queries.
ChatGPT vs Google Search
Direct comparison of response quality and sources (SE Ranking analysis):
| Metric | ChatGPT | |
|---|---|---|
| Average response length | 1,686 characters | 997 characters |
| Sentences per response | 22 | 10 |
| Sources cited | 10.42 links | 9.26 links |
| Wikipedia reliance | 47.9% | 5.7% |
| Reddit reliance | 11.3% | 21% |
| YouTube reliance | 0% | 18.8% |
| Subjectivity score (lower = more factual) | 0.44 | 0.48 |
Source: SE Ranking via DemandSage, 2026
ChatGPT provides longer, more detailed responses with more sources but leans heavily on Wikipedia. Google's results are more diverse (including YouTube) and slightly more subjective (commentary and opinion pieces).
Global Website Ranking
ChatGPT is the 6th most visited website in the world (SimilarWeb via NerdyNav, 2025), ahead of:
- Wikipedia
- Netflix
- Twitter/X
- Amazon
This places ChatGPT in the same tier as Google, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for global reach.
ChatGPT User Demographics
ChatGPT's user base skews young but has stronger cross-generational adoption than most social platforms.
User Base Size
- 900 million weekly active users (December 2025)
- 5.72 billion monthly visits (January 2026)
- ~193 million daily visits (estimated from monthly traffic)
- 10 million+ ChatGPT Plus subscribers ($20/month tier)
- 5 million+ enterprise/team/education users
- 1.44 billion total app downloads since May 2023 launch
Sources: OpenAI via Backlinko, SimilarWeb via DemandSage (2025-2026)
Age Distribution (US Adoption - Pew Research)
Pew Research surveyed 5,123 US adults in February-March 2025:
| Age Group | Have Ever Used ChatGPT |
|---|---|
| 18-29 | 58% |
| 30-49 | 41% |
| 50-64 | 25% |
| 65+ | 10% |
| All US adults | 34% |
Source: Pew Research, June 2025
Key insight: 34% of US adults have used ChatGPT, nearly double the 18% who had tried it in July 2023. Adoption is accelerating across all age groups.
Age Distribution (Web Traffic - SimilarWeb)
| Age Group | % of ChatGPT Users |
|---|---|
| 18-24 | 23.32% |
| 25-34 | 29.67% |
| 35-44 | 19.06% |
| 45-54 | 13.85% |
| 55-64 | 8.88% |
| 65+ | 5.23% |
Source: SimilarWeb via DemandSage, 2025
Over half of ChatGPT users (53%) are ages 18-34, similar to social media demographics. But the 35-54 age group represents 33% of users - reflecting workplace adoption. This cross-generational appeal distinguishes ChatGPT from TikTok (60% Gen Z) or Snapchat (51% Gen Z).
Teen Usage
59% of US teens have used ChatGPT, making it the most widely adopted AI chatbot among teenagers (Pew Research, December 2025). Specific teen behaviors:
- 26% of teens use ChatGPT for schoolwork (doubled from 13% in 2023)
- Higher adoption than Discord, Reddit, or Twitter among this demographic
- Concerns about academic integrity and AI-assisted homework
Gender Distribution
54.66% male / 45.34% female (SimilarWeb via DemandSage, 2025). This makes ChatGPT the most gender-balanced AI tool, compared to:
- Discord: 67% male
- Reddit: 64% male
- LinkedIn: 57% male
ChatGPT's near-parity gender split is closer to Instagram (51% female) or Facebook (49% female).
Geographic Distribution (Web Traffic Share)
| Country | Traffic Share | MoM Change |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 17.46% | +3.68% |
| India | 9.78% | +3.15% |
| Brazil | 4.76% | +8.75% |
| United Kingdom | 4.58% | +9.68% |
| Japan | 3.79% | +1.38% |
| Other | 59.63% | - |
Source: SimilarWeb via DemandSage, January 2026
The US accounts for only 17.46% of ChatGPT traffic, with India (9.78%) as the second-largest market. 100 million weekly active ChatGPT users in India alone as of February 2026 (Sam Altman via TechCrunch).
Usage Frequency by Country
Reuters Institute survey data:
| Country | Daily Use | Weekly Use | Monthly Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 7% | 11% | 4% |
| Argentina | 5% | 7% | 5% |
| Denmark | 3% | 8% | 9% |
| United Kingdom | 2% | 7% | 6% |
| France | 2% | 7% | 5% |
| Japan | 1% | 5% | 4% |
Source: Reuters Institute via Backlinko, December 2025
Daily use remains low (1-7%) even in high-adoption countries, but weekly use is significant (5-11%). This suggests ChatGPT is an occasional tool rather than a daily habit for most users.
ChatGPT Engagement and Usage Patterns
ChatGPT's engagement metrics reveal a platform balancing utility and dependence.
Session Behavior
- 12 minutes 24 seconds average session duration
- 6-7 pages per visit (SimilarWeb)
- ~2.8 queries per user per day (calculated from 2.5B daily queries / 900M WAU)
- ~75% direct traffic (users type chat.openai.com directly or use bookmarks)
The 6-7 pages per visit suggests users iterate on queries, refining prompts and exploring follow-up questions rather than accepting the first response.
Subscriber Retention
ChatGPT Plus ($20/month) shows exceptional retention compared to subscription services:
- 89% of subscribers still paying after 1 quarter
- 74% of subscribers still paying after 3 quarters
Source: Earnest Analytics via Backlinko, December 2025
For comparison, typical consumer subscription retention is 60-70% after 3 months. ChatGPT's 89% quarterly retention suggests genuine utility rather than forgotten recurring charges.
ChatGPT Pro Adoption
ChatGPT Pro launched in December 2024 at $200/month for research-grade AI access. Within the first month, 5.8% of consumer sales were Pro subscriptions (Backlinko, December 2025). This indicates willingness to pay premium prices for advanced capabilities among a subset of power users.
Response Characteristics
- 1,686 characters average response length (vs. 997 for Google)
- 22 sentences per response (vs. 10 for Google)
- 10.42 sources cited per response on average
ChatGPT provides significantly more detailed answers than search engines, which may explain longer session times. Users spend time reading comprehensive responses rather than clicking through multiple links.
Traffic Sources
Approximately 75% of ChatGPT traffic is direct (users navigating directly to the site). This is higher than most platforms and indicates:
- Strong brand recognition (people know the URL)
- Habitual use (bookmarked or memorized)
- Low reliance on discovery through search or social media
ChatGPT Growth Over Time
ChatGPT's growth trajectory is unprecedented in technology history.
Weekly Active Users Growth
| Date | Weekly Active Users | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2023 | 50 million | Launched Nov 30, 2022 |
| Nov 2023 | 100 million | +100% in 10 months |
| Aug 2024 | 200 million | +100% in 9 months |
| Oct 2024 | 250 million | +25% in 2 months |
| Dec 2024 | 300 million | +20% in 2 months |
| Feb 2025 | 400 million | +33% in 2 months |
| Aug 2025 | 700 million | +75% in 6 months |
| Oct 2025 | 800 million | +14% in 2 months |
| Dec 2025 | 900 million | +12.5% in 2 months |
Source: OpenAI official disclosures via Axios, TechCrunch, Reuters, The Information, compiled by Backlinko (December 2025)
ChatGPT added 600 million weekly active users in a single year (December 2024 to December 2025). For perspective, Instagram took 12 years to reach 2 billion users. TikTok took 5 years to reach 1.6 billion. ChatGPT is approaching 1 billion in 3 years.
Speed to 100 Million Users
| Platform | Time to 100M Users |
|---|---|
| Threads | 2 days |
| ChatGPT | 2 months |
| TikTok | 9 months |
| YouTube | 18 months |
| 30 months | |
| 54 months | |
| 60 months | |
| Spotify | 132 months |
| Netflix | 216 months |
Source: Statista/eMarketer via DemandSage, 2026
Only Threads (which leveraged Instagram's existing 2 billion user base) reached 100 million faster. ChatGPT's 2-month trajectory represents organic growth without a pre-existing network.
Monthly Visits Growth
| Month | Monthly Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2023 | 616 million | - |
| Feb 2023 | 1 billion | +62% |
| Dec 2023 | 1.6 billion | - |
| Aug 2024 | 2.6 billion | - |
| Jan 2025 | 3.8 billion | - |
| Apr 2025 | 5.1 billion | - |
| Oct 2025 | 6.16 billion | Peak |
| Jan 2026 | 5.72 billion | -7.1% from peak |
Source: SimilarWeb via DemandSage, February 2026
Monthly visits peaked at 6.16 billion in October 2025 and declined slightly to 5.72 billion in January 2026. This 7.1% dip may reflect seasonal patterns (end-of-year holidays) or competition from other AI chatbots, though ChatGPT still dominates with 80.49% market share.
Revenue Growth
| Year | Revenue | YoY Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $1 billion | - |
| 2024 | $3.7 billion | +270% |
| 2025 | $10-12 billion ARR | +170-224% |
| 2029 (target) | $125 billion | - |
Source: CNBC, Business Insider, The Information via DemandSage (2026)
ChatGPT has posted 12 consecutive months of revenue growth. In-app revenue alone reached $108 million in March 2025, up from $15.6 million in March 2024 (7x growth).
Funding and Valuation
- $500 billion valuation (current, December 2025)
- Up from $86 billion in February 2024 (5.8x increase in under 2 years)
- $40 billion funding round in March 2025 at ~30x revenue multiple
- $57.9 billion total funding raised
Sources: Backlinko, DemandSage (2025-2026)
Competitive Market Share
ChatGPT dominates the generative AI chatbot market:
| Platform | Market Share (Jan 2026) |
|---|---|
| ChatGPT | 80.49% |
| Perplexity | 7.89% |
| Google Gemini | 7.18% |
| Microsoft Copilot | 3.5% |
| Claude | 0.92% |
| DeepSeek | 0.01% |
Source: StatCounter via DemandSage, January 2026
Mental Health and ChatGPT Usage
ChatGPT represents a new frontier in screen time research. Unlike social media (designed for engagement) or search (designed for quick answers), AI chatbots occupy a hybrid space that can function as tools, companions, or something in between.
The MIT Media Lab Study: First Large-Scale RCT on AI Chatbot Wellbeing
In 2025, MIT Media Lab collaborated with OpenAI on the first pre-registered, IRB-approved randomized controlled trial examining the psychosocial effects of extended ChatGPT use. The study tracked approximately 1,000 participants over 4 weeks.
Key findings:
- Emotional engagement with ChatGPT is rare in real-world usage. The vast majority of conversations don't involve affective or emotional cues.
- Voice mode shows mixed effects: Brief voice use correlated with better wellbeing, but prolonged daily voice use led to worse outcomes.
- Very high usage correlates with increased self-reported dependence, confirmed in both on-platform data and experimental conditions.
- Users who viewed AI as a "friend" experienced more negative effects than those who viewed it as a tool.
- Personal conversations correlated with higher loneliness but lower emotional dependence.
- Non-personal conversations increased emotional dependence with heavy use.
Lead researcher Cathy Mengying Fang (MIT Media Lab) noted: "Effects of AI vary based on how people choose to use the model and their personal circumstances." The study suggests that ChatGPT's impact on wellbeing depends more on usage patterns and mindset than total time spent.
Source: MIT Media Lab, 2025; OpenAI affective use study paper
The 2% That Matters: Affective Use at Scale
According to OpenAI's own data (November 2025), only 2% of ChatGPT messages involve "relationships and personal reflection." This sounds negligible until you account for scale:
- 2.5 billion queries per day (July 2025)
- 2% = 50 million emotional or personal queries daily
- Anthropic (Claude) reports ~3% of interactions for therapy, counseling, or companionship
Source: Undark investigative report, November 2025; OpenAI internal data
While emotional engagement is rare on a per-message basis, the absolute volume makes ChatGPT one of the largest de facto mental health platforms on Earth - by accident, not design. Fifty million daily emotional support interactions occur without clinical oversight, professional training, or therapeutic frameworks.
Voice Mode and Affective Attachment
The MIT study's finding that voice mode produces mixed effects is critical. Advanced Voice Mode (AVM), launched in 2024, enables real-time conversational AI with natural speech patterns, interruptions, and emotional tone detection.
Voice creates stronger parasocial relationships than text:
- Human brains process voice as social presence
- Real-time conversation feels more "real" than typed exchanges
- Users report feeling "heard" and "understood" by voice AI
The MIT data shows that brief voice use improves wellbeing (likely through convenience and efficiency), but prolonged daily voice use worsens outcomes (suggesting dependency formation or displacement of human relationships).
ChatGPT vs Social Media: Different Mechanism, Similar Risk
ChatGPT isn't built like TikTok or Instagram. It has:
- No algorithmic feed designed to maximize engagement
- No infinite scroll mechanism
- No social comparison metrics (likes, followers, viral reach)
- Intent-driven sessions rather than passive consumption
But it introduces a new risk: emotional dependency on AI rather than humans. Social media addiction is driven by social validation and FOMO. ChatGPT addiction (for the subset of users affected) is driven by perceived understanding, always-available companionship, and judgment-free interaction.
The MIT study confirms what mental health professionals suspected: for users who anthropomorphize ChatGPT or use it as a substitute for human connection, outcomes worsen. For users who treat it as a tool for productivity or learning, outcomes are neutral or positive.
Teen Adoption and Academic Concerns
- 59% of US teens have used ChatGPT (Pew, December 2025)
- 26% use it for schoolwork (doubled from 13% in 2023)
- Concerns: academic integrity, critical thinking displacement, AI-assisted plagiarism
- Long-term effects on learning and development unknown
Unlike social media (where harms are well-documented), AI chatbot effects on adolescent development are unstudied. The first generation of teens growing up with ChatGPT as a homework assistant is in high school now. Longitudinal data won't exist for years.
The Dependency Question
The MIT study's finding that "very high usage correlates with increased self-reported dependence" aligns with anecdotal reports from users who describe feeling "unable to work without ChatGPT" or "anxious when the service is down."
This dependence differs from social media addiction:
- Productivity-driven: Users depend on ChatGPT for work tasks, not entertainment
- Capability augmentation: "I can't do X without ChatGPT" vs. "I can't stop scrolling"
- Functional but concerning: Like calculator dependence or GPS dependence - useful until the tool disappears
The question researchers are beginning to ask: Is outsourcing cognitive work to AI harmless efficiency, or does it atrophy skills that should remain human?
How to Manage ChatGPT Screen Time
Managing ChatGPT differs from managing social media because the platform is intent-driven rather than engagement-optimized. The goal isn't necessarily less time - it's more intentional time.
- Set session time limits via Screen Time (iPhone) or Digital Wellbeing (Android): A 20-minute daily limit accommodates legitimate productivity use while preventing extended exploratory sessions. Unlike social apps, ChatGPT doesn't have built-in time warnings, so external limits are necessary.
- Track queries, not just time: Monitor how many prompts you send daily. If you're consistently above 5-10 queries, ask whether each was necessary or if you're using ChatGPT as a crutch for thinking you could do independently.
- Avoid voice mode for extended sessions: MIT research shows brief voice use improves wellbeing, but prolonged daily voice use worsens outcomes. Reserve voice for quick questions; use text for complex tasks to maintain psychological distance.
- Don't anthropomorphize: Users who view ChatGPT as a "friend" show worse mental health outcomes than those who view it as a tool (MIT Media Lab, 2025). Maintain awareness that you're interacting with software, not a conscious being.
- Block ChatGPT during deep work: If ChatGPT has become a reflex answer to every question, block access during focus hours to rebuild independent problem-solving skills. Use Focus Mode (iOS) or app blockers to enforce boundaries.
- Replace emotional queries with human contact: If you catch yourself using ChatGPT for venting, relationship advice, or emotional support more than 1-2 times weekly, redirect those conversations to friends, family, or professionals. AI lacks the context and genuine care that human connection provides.
- Consider a minimalist approach to digital tools: Tools like Blank Spaces help reduce visual triggers for all apps, including ChatGPT. Remove the ChatGPT icon from your home screen so accessing it requires deliberate searching rather than reflexive tapping.
The goal isn't to avoid ChatGPT - it's genuinely useful for many tasks. The goal is to prevent a productivity tool from becoming an emotional crutch or cognitive dependency.
FAQ
How much time does the average person spend on ChatGPT?
The average ChatGPT session lasts 12 minutes and 24 seconds (Semrush, November 2024). Most users return 2-3 times daily, resulting in approximately 25-37 minutes of total daily ChatGPT time. This is comparable to Instagram (33-42 min/day) and exceeds Snapchat (30 min/day). However, ChatGPT's 72% desktop traffic (vs. 28% mobile) signals work and productivity use rather than casual scrolling, which distinguishes it from social media platforms.
How many people use ChatGPT?
ChatGPT has 900 million weekly active users as of December 2025, up from 50 million in January 2023 (OpenAI official disclosures). The platform generates 5.72 billion monthly visits (January 2026) and processes 2.5 billion queries daily. In the US, 34% of adults have used ChatGPT (Pew Research, June 2025), nearly double the 18% from July 2023. Among US teens, 59% have used ChatGPT, making it the most widely adopted AI chatbot for this demographic (Pew Research, December 2025).
Is ChatGPT addictive?
Research shows mixed findings. A 2025 MIT Media Lab randomized controlled trial found that very high usage correlates with increased self-reported dependence, particularly when users engage via voice mode or view the AI as a companion rather than a tool. However, ChatGPT isn't designed with engagement-maximizing algorithms like social media platforms. Dependence appears to be productivity-driven ("I need ChatGPT to work efficiently") rather than dopamine-driven ("I can't stop scrolling"). Only 2% of ChatGPT messages involve emotional or personal content (OpenAI data, 2025), but at 2.5 billion daily queries, this translates to 50 million emotional support interactions per day.
How does ChatGPT compare to social media for screen time?
ChatGPT's 12-minute average session sits between Google search (seconds) and social media platforms (20-30+ minutes). The key difference: ChatGPT is intent-driven (users come with questions and leave when answered) rather than algorithm-driven (platforms keep you scrolling). ChatGPT's 72% desktop traffic indicates work/productivity use, while TikTok (90% mobile), Instagram (85% mobile), and Snapchat (95% mobile) are casual entertainment. However, ChatGPT represents new screen time, not replacement time - users add AI sessions on top of existing social media habits.
Is ChatGPT growing or declining?
ChatGPT is still growing rapidly. Weekly active users increased from 50 million (January 2023) to 900 million (December 2025) - an 18x increase in under 3 years. Monthly visits grew from 616 million (January 2023) to 5.72 billion (January 2026), though they peaked at 6.16 billion in October 2025 (7.1% decline since peak, likely seasonal). Revenue grew from $1 billion (2023) to $10-12 billion ARR (2025). ChatGPT dominates the AI chatbot market with 80.49% market share (StatCounter, January 2026), far ahead of Perplexity (7.89%), Google Gemini (7.18%), and Microsoft Copilot (3.5%).
What percentage of teens use ChatGPT?
59% of US teens have used ChatGPT, making it the most popular AI chatbot among teenagers (Pew Research, December 2025). 26% of teens use ChatGPT for schoolwork, doubled from 13% in 2023 (DemandSage via Pew, 2026). This raises concerns about academic integrity, critical thinking development, and AI-assisted plagiarism. Long-term effects of growing up with AI homework assistants are unknown, as this is the first generation with widespread access to such tools during formative education years.
Does ChatGPT harm mental health?
Research shows context-dependent effects. The MIT Media Lab study (2025) found that users who view ChatGPT as a "friend" experience worse wellbeing outcomes than those who view it as a tool. Voice mode shows mixed effects: brief use improves wellbeing (convenience, efficiency), but prolonged daily voice use worsens outcomes (suggesting dependency or human relationship displacement). Personal conversations correlated with higher loneliness. However, most use is practical - only 2% of queries involve emotional content. The concern: at 2.5 billion daily queries, even 2% = 50 million emotional support interactions daily without clinical oversight.
How fast did ChatGPT reach 1 billion users?
ChatGPT hasn't reached 1 billion users yet, but it's approaching that milestone. As of December 2025, ChatGPT has 900 million weekly active users. The platform reached 100 million users in 2 months, making it the second-fastest platform to hit that milestone (after Threads at 2 days). For comparison: TikTok took 9 months, YouTube 18 months, Instagram 30 months, Facebook 54 months. ChatGPT reached 1 million users in 5 days at launch (November 30, 2022).
