Conversational artificial intelligence has profoundly changed the way people search for information online.
Among the available tools, ChatGPT has established itself as a global leader, both for the general public and for businesses.
But how many people will actually be using ChatGPT in 2026?
What are the growth trends?
To stay at the forefront of AI, it’s essential to understand how the world is using this tool. This guide presents the latest statistics on ChatGPT, covering user growth, corporate adoption, and demographic trends.
How many people will be using ChatGPT in 2026? Key figures ?
The number of ChatGPT users in 2026 reflects a profound shift in search and content creation habits, confirming the central role of AI in our digital lives.
Key usage statistics
The impressive figures that underscore ChatGPT’s status as the undisputed leader in the field of conversational AI in February 2026 :
Source: FirstPageSage
12-Month Change
ChatGPT’s growth has accelerated significantly since June 2025. The chart below illustrates this steady increase, which has taken the platform from 481 million to 878 million monthly users.
Source: FirstPageSage
Key factors contributing to this growth include:
- An increase of 82% in 2025;
- A significant surge between May and July 2025 (+209 million users);
As well as a relative stabilization in the last quarter, with continued organic growth.
Will ChatGPT still dominate the AI market in 2026? The numbers and analysis
ChatGPT maintains a dominant position with 74.2% market share in December 2025. This impressive stability can be attributed to several strategic factors.
1. Market share trends over the past 12 months
An analysis of 12 months of data provides a clear picture of market trends and allows us to assess the stability of ChatGPT’s position within the generative AI ecosystem.
To better illustrate these trends, the data has been compiled in the following chart :
Source: FirstPageSage
According to the graph, the overall trend remains stable, indicating that ChatGPT maintains a dominant position despite the gradual emergence of new competitors.
2. Competitor Analysis
In the ever-evolving generative AI market, competitor analysis makes it possible to assess ChatGPT’s positioning relative to other major players, identify market share trends, and understand the strategic forces that are reshaping the competitive landscape.
2.1. Google Gemini: the main challenger
Gemini gained ground toward the end of 2025 thanks to several strategic advantages. These include, primarily:
- Native integration with the Google ecosystem (Gmail, Drive, Calendar);
- Advanced multimodal capabilities for processing images and videos;
- An attractive pricing model for business users.
The major Gemini 2.0 update in December 2025 won over many users thanks to improved performance in logical reasoning.
2.2. Perplexity: Search Reinvented
Perplexity positions itself as an AI-powered search engine. Its market share has declined slightly despite a loyal user base.
Here are a few key differentiators:
- Systematic citation of sources for each response;
- The interface optimized for information search;
- the freemium model with a generous data allowance.
2.3. Claude AI: The Rise to Prominence
Claude from Anthropic is experiencing the fastest growth, with a 1.6-point increase in market share. This growth can be attributed to its unique positioning.
Here are a few factors behind its success:
- A focus on AI safety and ethical alignment;
- The ability to process very long sequences (200,000 tokens);
Its growing adoption by tech companies and developers is the final key factor behind its success.
What are the most popular use cases for ChatGPT in 2026?
The data reveals how users actually use ChatGPT on a daily basis. Six main use cases account for 89% of total activity.
1. General research (36.8%)
Searching for information remains the primary use of ChatGPT. Users rely on it as a personal research assistant to explore a wide range of topics, such as:
- Summarizing complex concepts;
- Explanation of technical terms;
- Comparing options to make a decision;
It also enables the exploration of new fields of knowledge.
2. Academic research (18.8%)
The use of ChatGPT in academia is steadily growing. Students and researchers are incorporating ChatGPT into their work methods to:
- Generate research ideas;
- Outline dissertations or theses;
- Review and provide feedback on written assignments.
3. Coding assistance (14.5%)
Developers are widely adopting ChatGPT as a programming assistant. This trend is transforming software development practices:
- Debugging and troubleshooting;
- Generation of boilerplate code;
- Explanation of complex functions;
- Performance optimization.
It also makes it possible to learn new languages.
4. Writing emails (13.8%)
Writing professional emails is a major part of daily work. ChatGPT helps you craft clear and appropriate messages, particularly in:
- Formal business communications;
- Customer responses in the appropriate tone;
- Sales prospecting emails;
- Administrative correspondence.
5. Market research (5.2%)
Professionals use ChatGPT for quick market analyses. This tool facilitates business decision-making, for example:
- Competitive intelligence;
- Analysis of industry trends;
- The product positioning study;
- Identifying potential partners.
6. Le copywriting marketing (4,2%)
The use of ChatGPT by marketers is steadily increasing, with an estimated rise of 0.8 percentage points over the past year. This confirms its growing integration into digital marketing and content creation strategies.
What are the retention rates by subscription type?
According to data from FirstPageAge, the United States leads in global traffic (17.1%), followed by India (16.5%) and Brazil (5.8%).
It is interesting to note that India tops the global rankings in terms of usage intensity, as its users spend more time per session than in any other region.
In fact, retention rates vary significantly depending on the type of subscription. Here is an analysis of a segment of subscribers from November 2024.
1. ChatGPT Plus (Individual)
ChatGPT Plus has the lowest retention rates: 73% at 3 months, 64% at 6 months, and 59% at 1 year, with an overall decline of 14 percentage points, which can be attributed to a more individualistic and potentially more volatile user base.
2. ChatGPT Team (Small Businesses)
The ChatGPT team occupies a middle position, with 85% at 3 months, 78% at 6 months, and 68% at 1 year—a more pronounced decline (−17 percentage points)—indicating decent stability but greater susceptibility to erosion over time.
3. ChatGPT Enterprise (Large Organizations)
The ChatGPT Enterprise offering consistently delivers the best results, with 95% at 3 months, 92% at 6 months, and 88% at 1 year. The decline remains moderate (−7 points year-over-year), reflecting strong customer retention and high perceived value among businesses.
What impact does ChatGPT have on purchasing decisions?
ChatGPT is emerging as a new player in the purchasing journey. Up to 18% of consumers in certain sectors use it to inform their purchasing decisions.
To better understand its actual influence on the market, a sector-by-sector analysis helps identify the industries where ChatGPT has the greatest impact on purchasing decisions and assess differences in adoption based on consumer behavior.
1. Travel & Hospitality (18%)
Travelers are using ChatGPT to plan their trips from start to finish. This trend is transforming the traditional role of travel agencies.
They put it into practice in:
- Creating a custom itinerary;
- A comparison of lodging and dining options;
- Activity suggestions based on interests.
It is also used to get budget tips for travel destinations.
2. Retail & Distribution (16%)
Consumers consult ChatGPT before making purchases to get unbiased recommendations.
Some of the most common shopping activities include:
- Product comparison with pros and cons;
- Identifying the best value for money;
- Technical compatibility check.
It is also used to find lesser-known alternatives.
3. Services IT (14%)
IT decision-makers rely on ChatGPT to evaluate technology solutions and select vendors in a more structured manner. This AI-assisted selection process includes the following:
- Software comparison;
- Evaluating technical stacks based on project requirements;
- Seeking feedback and professional opinions.
The preparation of requests for proposals is also a key component of this AI-assisted decision-making process.
4. Health & Wellness (13%)
Consumers are looking for health information, but remain cautious about its reliability. Several common types of search queries can be observed, including:
- An explanation of mild symptoms;
- Finding specialized professionals;
- A comparison of dietary supplements.
In addition, there are also personalized fitness programs.
In summary: The Future of ChatGPT in 2026
ChatGPT is solidifying its position as the leader in conversational AI with 878 million monthly users. This dominance is built on three solid strategic pillars:
1. The factors behind its lasting success
Among the factors that are truly driving the rapid growth of this AI are:
- Its ongoing innovations: Regular rollout of new capabilities (multimodal, advanced reasoning);
- Its extensive ecosystem: Partnership with Microsoft and multiple third-party integrations;
- Brand recognition: Synonymous with conversational AI in the public consciousness.
2. Challenges to be addressed in 2026
Competition is heating up. Google Gemini is gaining market share thanks to its integration with Google Workspace. Claude AI is winning over tech companies with its advanced contextual capabilities.
Regulations on AI are becoming stricter, particularly in Europe. OpenAI will have to navigate these constraints while maintaining its technological edge.
3. Growth Opportunities
The impact on purchasing decisions represents a new area of growth. The travel, retail, and IT sectors demonstrate how ChatGPT is transforming the customer journey.
Enterprise adoption holds considerable potential. The 88% retention rate for ChatGPT Enterprise demonstrates the value it delivers to large organizations.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Using ChatGPT
How many people will be using ChatGPT in 2026 ?
ChatGPT had 878 million monthly users in January 2026. This figure includes direct ChatGPT users (813 million) and those who access it through Microsoft Copilot.
The platform generates 6.1 billion monthly visits, demonstrating very consistent usage among active users.
Is ChatGPT the most widely used AI chatbot ?
Yes, ChatGPT dominates the market with 74.2% market share in December 2025. Its main competitors are Google Gemini (14.8%), Perplexity (5.1%), and Claude AI (4.7%).
This dominance can be attributed to ChatGPT’s early entry into the market, its brand recognition, and its ongoing improvements.
What is ChatGPT mainly used for?
General information searches account for 36.8% of ChatGPT usage. Users rely on it as a conversational search engine to explore a variety of topics.
Academic research ranks second at 18.8%, followed by coding support (14.5%) and writing emails (13.8%).
What is ChatGPT’s annual growth rate?
ChatGPT saw growth of 82% between January and December 2025, rising from 481 million to 878 million monthly users.
Growth accelerated in the second quarter of 2025, with an increase of 209 million users between May and July. The pace stabilized in the second half of the year, with quarterly growth of approximately 4%.
In which countries is ChatGPT the most popular?
The United States and India are tied for first place, each accounting for 16% of global visits to ChatGPT. Brazil rounds out the top three with 5.8% of visits.
This breakdown reflects both the size of the connected populations and the level of digital maturity in different regions of the world.
Does ChatGPT influence purchasing decisions?
Yes, ChatGPT is having a significant impact on certain industries. In the travel and hospitality sector, 18% of customers use it during their purchasing journey, representing $1.48 trillion in potential influence.
Retail and distribution follow with 16% of spending ($1.11 trillion), followed by IT services with 14% ($936 billion).
What is the retention rate for ChatGPT subscribers?
The retention rate varies depending on the subscription type. For ChatGPT Plus (individual), 59% of subscribers remain after one year.
The ChatGPT Team reports a 68% retention rate after one year, while ChatGPT Enterprise achieves a 88% retention rate, demonstrating high satisfaction among large organizations.
How does ChatGPT compare to Google Gemini?
ChatGPT maintains a comfortable lead with 74.2% market share, compared to 14.8% for Google Gemini. However, Gemini is gaining ground, up 1.3 percentage points in 2025.
Gemini benefits from its native integration with the Google ecosystem (Gmail, Drive, Calendar), which appeals to business users who are already familiar with this environment.
Is ChatGPT replacing Google for search?
Not yet, but the trend is beginning to take shape. ChatGPT accounts for 36.8% of general information searches, a use case traditionally dominated by Google.
Users appreciate ChatGPT’s concise and conversational responses, but Google remains dominant for transactional and local searches.
Are businesses adopting ChatGPT on a large scale?
Yes, adoption in the corporate sector is accelerating. ChatGPT Enterprise’s exceptional retention rate (88% after one year) confirms the value that large organizations see in it.
Business use cases account for a growing share. It is often used for tasks such as coding assistance (14.5%), drafting emails (13.8%), market research (5.2%), and marketing copywriting (4.2%).
For more information:
- Top Generative AI Chatbots by Market Share
- Which Industries Use Generative AI To Make Purchases?
- ChatGPT Optimization: 2026 Guide
