ChatGPT Stats and Facts: Who is Using ChatGPT?
ChatGPT stats show that over 700 million people worldwide use ChatGPT every week, and more than a third of UK adults have already tried it. What began as the fastest-growing consumer app in history is now changing how people search, shop, and work. At Netzoll, we believe these numbers are a wake-up call for SMEs. Understanding how people use ChatGPT can help you adapt your SEO, content, and social media strategies before your competitors do.
Why should SMEs pay attention to ChatGPT stats?
ChatGPT isn’t just a flashy piece of tech. It’s a tool reshaping how people search, work, and market their businesses. For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), knowing who is using ChatGPT, how it’s used, and where it’s growing gives you a roadmap. These ChatGPT stats aren’t just numbers—they’re signals of changing behaviour that could affect your customers, your staff, and your competitors.
What are the most important general ChatGPT stats?
ChatGPT gained 100 million users within two months of launch
This made ChatGPT the fastest-growing consumer app in history. That speed of adoption shows just how quickly AI tools can go mainstream. For SMEs, it means you can’t afford to dismiss it as a passing trend. (Source)
ChatGPT has 800 million weekly active users worldwide
With hundreds of millions of people relying on it each week, the platform has become part of daily life. This means your customers may be asking ChatGPT about businesses like yours instead of turning to Google. (Source)
ChatGPT reached over 5.7 billion monthly visits by July 2025
That’s on par with the biggest social media platforms. The more traffic it attracts, the more it acts as a destination for search and research. SMEs should start thinking about how their business information appears when asked through AI. (Source)
Sam Altman is CEO of OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT
Leadership matters. OpenAI’s decisions about transparency, business models, and regulation affect how ChatGPT evolves. As an SME, keeping an eye on these shifts helps you plan how to adapt your digital marketing. (Source)
OpenAI is valued at $157 billion
A valuation on this scale shows investor confidence and suggests ChatGPT is here for the long run. For business owners, that means building it into your strategy isn’t risky—it’s preparation for the future. (Source)
How are people using ChatGPT across the world and in the UK?
ChatGPT processes 2.5 billion prompts every day
That scale of use highlights just how normalised AI has become. For SMEs, this shows your competitors are likely experimenting with AI already, whether in customer service, sales, or content writing. (Source)
Roughly 20% of global internet users say they use ChatGPT regularly
This figure suggests AI has moved out of the “early adopter” stage. A meaningful chunk of your potential customer base now interacts with ChatGPT as part of daily routines. (Source)
ChatGPT is available in 161 countries
The tool isn’t just popular in the UK or US—it’s global. That means if you work with international customers, their expectations of service, content, and communication may already be influenced by ChatGPT. (Source)
31% of UK adults have used ChatGPT at least once
That’s more than one in three people. If you’re targeting UK customers, this shows they may already be comfortable using AI to make decisions. Your business should be prepared to meet them where they are. (Source)
79% of UK workers have used tools like ChatGPT at work
Adoption is especially high in finance and tech, but it’s spreading. If you manage a team, you may already have employees using ChatGPT quietly to get things done. Setting out best practices will help you stay in control. (Source)
Who exactly is using ChatGPT?
Younger, well-educated users dominate globally
Surveys show ChatGPT is used most by people under 35 and those with university degrees. This group overlaps with decision-makers, young professionals, and high-value customers, making it a target audience for many SMEs. (Source)
34% of US adults have used ChatGPT
This figure doubled between 2023 and 2025. While it’s a US number, it signals rapid mainstream adoption. If this growth trend mirrors the UK, you’ll see usage here climb even higher soon. (Source)
54% of ChatGPT users are male
The usage is relatively between male and female with males accounting for 54.69% of users and females users making up 45.26%. (Source)
90% of UK Graduates Use AI Tools in Their Assessments
It isn’t just for personal use, AI is changing the academic world too. That means businesses need to start adapting to utilise the powerful tool at their disposal and allow the new generation of workforce to product work more efficiently than ever. (Source)
How is ChatGPT affecting SEO strategies?
77% of users say they use ChatGPT as a search engine
One in four people now prefer starting searches on ChatGPT instead of Google. This shift is significant. It means SMEs should think about how their content is structured so AI tools can find, understand, and surface it. (Source)
86% of SEO professionals have already integrated AI into their strategies.
Content creation and optimisation are the biggest areas of change. The lesson for SMEs is to invest in higher-quality, AI-friendly content that can hold up in both search engines and AI-driven platforms. (Source)
53 % of marketers in the UK report using ChatGPT in their digital marketing activities.
Leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT can significantly enhance efficiency and creativity, particularly in SEO, content ideation, and campaign optimisation. If your marketing team isn’t already exploring these capabilities, now is a great time to start dipping your toes in. (Source)
36% of consumers say they’ve discovered a new product or brand through ChatGPT, rising to 47% among Gen Z.
This is a game changer for small businesses. If customers are asking ChatGPT directly, you need to ensure your brand has strong, consistent information online for the AI to pick up. That means optimising content so AI tools can reference and surface your products is just as important as traditional SEO. (Source)
What is geo, aeo, and llmeo?
GEO refers to Generative Engine Optimisation, AEO is Answer Engine Optimisation, and LLMEO means Large Langauge Model Engine Optimisation. They all refer to optimising content for AI with slight niches/differences. GEO is concerned with AI-powered search engines such as Google SGE or Bing Copilot and becoming the go-to source of information for longer, contextual answers; while AEO is more focused on being a short snippet like in voice searches or Google’s featured snippet. LLMEO is slightly different as it is concerned only with Large Language Models such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini and being featured in searches on these platforms specifically.
Employing GEO methods can boost visibility by 30-40%
Research conducted by Princeton and Georgia Tech found that corporations that optimised content for GEO were seeing as much as a 40% increase in visibly as they were being including in GE responses. (Source)
Within the next year, 79% of consumers are predicted to use AI-driven search, with 70% saying they already trust the results it delivers.
This shows just how fast consumer behaviour is shifting. Trust is already high, and adoption is following quickly, which means businesses that don’t start adapting their SEO strategies for AI-driven search risk falling behind. (Source)
In a recent test, brands appeared in 82% of AI-generated search results across a set of consumer queries.
For businesses of all kinds, not just retail, it underscores the importance of building brand visibility and authority online. If your company isn’t recognised as a trusted source, you risk being left out of AI-driven search results altogether, no matter how good your product or service is. (Source)
What do ChatGPT subscriptions look like?
ChatGPT Plus launched in February 2023 at $20/month
The Plus tier offers priority access and GPT-4 responses. For SMEs, this can mean faster, more reliable service when using AI to support workflows. (Source)
ChatGPT Plus has around 10 million paying subscribers
That scale shows individuals and businesses are willing to pay for AI access. If competitors are investing in premium tools, you may want to consider whether the paid tier would benefit your team. (Source)
Over 3 million business users pay for Enterprise, Team, or Edu subscriptions
This growth highlights how generative AI is being formalised in workplace settings. SMEs can see this as a signal to explore AI tools not just for experiments but as part of structured operations. (Source)
ChatGPT’s mobile app has generated over $2 billion in revenue
The app is another access point for businesses on the move. If your audience is mobile-first, expect them to interact with ChatGPT that way too. (Source)
How is ChatGPT being used in business and marketing?
92% of Fortune 500 companies use OpenAI products, including ChatGPT
If the biggest companies in the world are integrating AI, smaller ones should take note. You don’t need to mirror them, but you can apply similar principles on a smaller scale. (Source)
86% of business leaders plan to increase AI investment
This shows generative AI isn’t a fad. It’s an area of serious investment. SMEs should think about budgeting for AI in the same way they would for marketing software or staff training. (Source)
65% of marketers worldwide already use ChatGPT for content creation
This is a clear sign of how marketing is shifting. Small businesses can take advantage of the same tools as larger competitors to produce content faster and at lower cost. (Source)
37% of UK SMEs are experimenting with AI including ChatGPT
This proves smaller firms are not being left behind. From marketing campaigns to customer support, experimentation is happening. The best practice is to test small use cases, learn from them, and then scale. (Source)
29% of UK workers use AI at work, often secretly
This stat is a wake-up call. Employees are finding value in AI even if businesses haven’t set guidelines. For SMEs, the best practice is to create a policy that encourages safe, transparent, and beneficial use. (Source)
How can Netzoll help SMEs use AI for SEO and social media?
The numbers tell us one thing clearly: ChatGPT isn’t going away. It’s already influencing how people search, how content is consumed, and how businesses market themselves. That’s where Netzoll comes in.
We help SMEs stay ahead by integrating AI into your SEO strategy and social media campaigns. Whether it’s optimising your content for visibility in AI-driven searches, creating scalable blog and ad copy with the right human touch, or making your social posts more engaging, we combine AI efficiency with expert guidance. The goal isn’t just to keep up—it’s to give you an edge.
Working with Netzoll means you get tailored advice on how to use tools like ChatGPT safely and effectively, without losing the authenticity of your brand voice. We focus on best practices, so you can save time, cut costs, and reach more people, while still building real connections with your audience.
what should SMEs do with these ChatGPT statistics?
These ChatGPT stats make it extremely clear. ChatGPT is no longer niche—it’s a mainstream tool being used by consumers, professionals, and businesses worldwide. For SMEs, the lesson is simple: don’t ignore it. Your customers are using ChatGPT to search, shop, and make decisions. Your employees may already be using it to work smarter. And your competitors are experimenting with it to scale marketing and operations.
The best practice is to be proactive. Test AI tools for simple tasks, put clear policies in place for your team, and start thinking about how your online presence is read by AI tools. Just as businesses once had to adapt to Google search and social media, ChatGPT is the next big shift. Those who prepare now will have the edge.
Ready to make AI work for your business?
ChatGPT stats prove that AI is already reshaping how people search, shop, and make decisions. Don’t let your business fall behind. At Netzoll, we help SMEs turn these changes into opportunities through smarter SEO and social media strategies powered by AI.
Get in touch with us today to see how we can help your business grow in the age of AI.