How ChatGPT adoption broadened in early 2026

In the first quarter of 2026, ChatGPT experienced broadened consumer adoption across various demographics. This growth included increased usage among older age groups and a continued rise in users with typically feminine names. The platform also saw deeper penetration in a greater number of countries. This analysis focuses on messages sent on ChatGPT consumer plans (Free, Go, Plus, and Pro), thus understating total workplace and educational usage by excluding enterprise and education products.

Users with typically feminine names now constitute a growing share of ChatGPT usage, surpassing half of all users whose gender can be inferred. While users under 35 still account for the largest proportion of messages, Q1 saw a notable gain in message share from users over 35, indicating a demographic shift in adoption.

Globally, many of the largest gains in country rankings for per capita messages originated from countries outside the most established markets. The ten fastest-rising countries highlight a broadening adoption pattern across Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia-Pacific, and Africa, signifying expanding international reach.

Within work-related usage on consumer plans, content creation, health-related documentation, and information retrieval emerged as the fastest-growing tasks. These trends indicate expanding adoption across diverse professions and industries, though more specialized tasks are gaining popularity over general material creation.

Overall, the Q1 2026 data suggests that ChatGPT is evolving into a more mainstream tool. It is being utilized by a wider array of individuals, in more countries, and for an increasing number of recurring tasks, reflecting both broader adoption and more embedded use in daily activities. This ongoing data collection, known as OpenAI Signals, aims to provide researchers and policymakers with critical insights into AI's economic impact.