A Third of Americans Have Never Heard of ChatGPT

Despite all the hype surrounding ChatGPT, most US adults still aren’t using the AI chatbot, according to a new poll from Pew Research. 

A Pew survey of over 10,000 people conducted last month finds that only 23% of the US adults have ever used ChatGPT, though that’s an increase from 18% in July. Across all age groups, ChatGPT use is growing, particularly among younger Americans, Pew finds.

(Credit: Pew Research)

“Adults under 30 stand out: 43% of these young adults have used ChatGPT, up 10 percentage points since last summer,” Pew said. “Use of the chatbot is also up slightly among those ages 30 to 49 and 50 to 64. Still, these groups remain less likely than their younger peers to have used the technology. Just 6% of Americans 65 and up have used ChatGPT.”

The numbers may be surprising since ChatGPT and other AI programs have dominated headlines in the tech news space. But the survey arrives when AI technologies are facing more scrutiny and criticism, including over their ability to pump out misinformation. Others, such as authors, media outlets and artists, are suing ChatGPT’s maker OpenAI for allegedly using copyrighted works to develop the chatbot. 

Pew didn’t ask why so many American adults are ignoring ChatGPT. But survey-takers were asked how much they had heard about the chatbot. Surprisingly, 34% of respondents said they had “heard nothing at all about ChatGPT.”

(Credit: Pew Research)

The survey also asked poll-takers whether they would use ChatGPT to learn information about the upcoming 2024 election. Only 2% said they used ChatGPT to get information about the campaigns. A large number of survey-takers also appear to have little trust in ChatGPT when it comes to giving out election information.

“About four-in-ten Republicans and Democrats alike (including those who lean toward each party) have not too much or no trust at all in ChatGPT’s election information,” Pew said. 

Pew conducted its survey by polling 10,133 adults through self-administered online surveys. It’s also important to point out Pew’s survey doesn’t capture ChatGPT’s apparent popularity with teenagers, who are likely using the chatbot to help them with their homework. But the poll did find that more American adults are using ChatGPT on the job, with 20% of the survey’s respondents saying they did so, up from a mere 8% in March 2023.