New Study out – How People Use ChatGPT

Brett Tabkeon

OpenAI released a major study (in the form of an NBER working paper) titled “How People Use ChatGPT”, based on data from 1.5 million conversations among consumers. The findings give a detailed look at who is using ChatGPT, how they are using it, and why it’s generating value.   Here are a few choice takeaways and what they might mean for you.

Who, What, How – Highlights:

  1. Who is using ChatGPT (and how that’s changing)
    • Early gender gaps have narrowed: in Jan 2024 only ~37% of users had names classified as typically feminine; by July 2025, that share rose to ~52%.
    • Adoption is faster in lower- and middle-income countries than in high-income ones.  Growth in the lowest income countries is greater than 4× the rate in highest income countries.
    • In July 2025  ~10% of the world’s adult population had adopted ChatGPT.
  2. What people are using it for
    • The most common uses are: Guidance, information, and writing. These 3 categories account for nearly 80% of conversations.
    • Within work contexts, writing is the dominant task. Coding/programming and self-expression still remain relatively niche.
  3. How usage is evolving and where value is coming from
    • Personal usage accounts for 70%+ of conversations, up from 53% earlier in its existence. Work-related usage is growing too, but slower.
    • ChatGPT is being used more for decision support, improving productivity (especially in knowledge-intensive jobs).  So the value isn’t just in automating repeat tasks but helping people plan, think through decisions.
    • Users are increasing how much they use the tool over time, as they refine and discover new uses.

What This Means for SEOs & Marketers

Here’s how these findings translate into implications and opportunities for those of us optimizing content, building strategy, or doing marketing in digital channels.

  1. Content strategy leans even more toward problem solving and guidance Since “seeking information” and “practical guidance” are huge proportions of usage, content that helps people solve problems, make decisions, or learn something new is more likely to align with what users are already reaching ChatGPT for.  It is back to “answer box” targeting with: FAQs, how-to guides, comparison posts, decision frameworks, etc.
  2. “Writing” tasks are still central, especially for work  Because writing is heavily used, there is likely increasing competition (and opportunity) around written content. Tools that help with drafting, summarization, rewriting, and maintaining voice might become more important. There is also a chance for marketers to make content that pairs well with AI drafting (e.g. templates, style guides, outlines) so that human + AI collaboration yields better outputs.
  3. Audience diversity is increasing: gender, geography, income With adoption rising in lower-income countries and among demographics that were underrepresented, international SEO, localization, and inclusive content become more essential. We think marketers should consider:
    • Translating content or creating region-specific versions.
    • Adapting style so that it works across education levels.
    • The tough one is targeting content to resonate more broadly and not just with early adopters or tech-savvy audiences.
  4. Non-work use dominates but work-use is still growing Most interactions are personal rather than professional. That means content focused on lifestyle, hobbies, personal improvement, or entertainment may see high demand.
  5. Decision support is a lever AI is helping people think, weigh options, plan. That means content that helps in decision-making (product comparisons, pros/cons, “which should I choose,” case studies, buyer’s journey content) may match what people might bring to ChatGPT.
  6. “Expressive” content remains niche, but perhaps under-developed opportunity Creative uses are still relatively small share of usage.  If that continues, there might be space for brands or creators who lean into expressive storytelling, community content, creative prompts, etc., to stand out.

Tactical SEO & Marketing Moves

Here are some tactics to consider, given the findings:

  • Audit & reoptimize content for “how to,” “decision support,” and guidance orientation. These likely map better to user expectations in ChatGPT-driven search or query patterns.
  • Create evergreen, decision-centric content (e.g. “best tools for X,” “which Y should I choose,” “pros & cons of A vs B”) — content that helps the decision making and stands the test of time.
  • Optimize for featured snippets / rich results: since many users may use ChatGPT to ask (information / guidance) rather than do, content that is concise, clearly structured, and answers common queries is more likely to be surfaced.
  • International and inclusive content strategy: expand into more languages; adjust tone and reading level; maybe leverage local references so that content feels credible in diverse regions.
  • Leverage user testimonials / case studies: especially for work-use content, showing examples of how people improved productivity, made better decisions, or saved time can help convert.
  • Develop prompt & content hybrids: since many users may be using ChatGPT as a collaborator, think about designing content or tools that help them prompt or refine prompts—templates, tips, etc.

This  NBER study confirms what many of us seeing in practice: ChatGPT is not just a novelty; it’s becoming deeply integrated into how people seek info, plan, and do work — both for life and for work. For marketers and SEOs, that shifts the emphasis toward content and experiences that provide guidance, support decisions, solve real problems, and are inclusive across geographies and demographics.