According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, while the majority of Americans are aware of ChatGPT, only a small percentage have actually used the AI chatbot. The survey, which gathered responses from over 10,000 US adults in mid-March, revealed disparities in familiarity based on factors such as education, income, race, gender, and age.
The findings showed that highly educated and affluent individuals were more likely to be familiar with ChatGPT. Among respondents with a postgraduate degree, 79% had heard about ChatGPT, while 71% of those with a bachelor’s degree were aware of the tool. In contrast, only 41% of high school graduates had knowledge of ChatGPT.
Income levels also played a role in familiarity, with 55% of lower-income Americans having no knowledge of the AI tool compared to 24% of upper-income individuals. Interestingly, a higher percentage of upper-income Americans (28%) were well-informed about ChatGPT compared to knowing nothing at all.
Racial disparities were evident, with Asians being the most familiar with ChatGPT (78%), followed by White Americans (59%). Black Americans exhibited a higher percentage of no familiarity (51%), while Hispanics had a mix, with 47% having no knowledge and 20% being well-informed.
Gender and age differences were also observed, as men were more likely than women to have some level of familiarity with ChatGPT. Additionally, younger adults were more familiar with the AI chatbot compared to those over the age of 30.
Regarding usage patterns, the survey indicated that adults under 30 were more likely to use ChatGPT for entertainment purposes (31%) compared to those aged 65 and older (4%). Interestingly, lower-income households, despite being less familiar with ChatGPT, were more likely to utilize it for work tasks (20%) compared to middle and upper-income households (11% each).
The survey’s findings shed light on the limited adoption of ChatGPT among Americans, with only a small fraction having tried the AI chatbot. As OpenAI continues its operations, including in Europe, the landscape of AI usage and awareness is expected to evolve.
