ChatGPT’s user base just doubled in 6 months – to more than 400 million weekly users

It’s no secret that ChatGPT is the world’s most popular AI chatbot, but a new report shows just how well it’s doing.

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More than 400 million people use ChatGPT each week, Reuters says, a number that has doubled since last August, when it had 200 million weekly users. The service had 300 million weekly users last December, meaning it grew 33% in just over two months.

What makes ChatGPT so popular?

ChatGPT quickly made a name for itself after its November 2022 debut, thanks to its advanced writing capabilities, such as composing emails, essays, resumes, and lists, giving it early brand recognition. Since then, its proficiency in STEM tasks, like writing and debugging code, has made it stand out even more (and given it the top spot on our list of best AI chatbots).

In addition, OpenAI is consistently adding new features to ChatGPT, like LLM GPT-4, which introduced web browsing, vision, data analysis, and file uploads.

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If you’re not among those 400 million people and need a little inspiration, you should know that ChatGPT goes far beyond conversation and has plenty of uses for both professional and personal needs. You can use it to create apps, write Excel formulas, build a resume, do research for papers, plan your vacation, and more.

GPT-4.5 and GPT-5 will be available soon

In a post on X about the milestone, OpenAI COO Brad Lightcap said his company was “very fortunate to serve 5% of the world every week” and pointed out that more than two million business users now use ChatGPT at work. GPT-4.5 and GPT-5 will be available to chat with soon, he said, with unlimited GPT-5 for free users.

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Lightcap called ChatGPT’s growth a “natural progression,” adding that “People hear about it through word of mouth. They see the utility of it. They see their friends using it.” “There’s an overall effect of people really wanting these tools,” he said, “and seeing that these tools are really valuable.”