OpenAI Signals: ChatGPT Global Usage Trends Q2 2026

OpenAI has released new global usage data via its OpenAI Signals platform, revealing that ChatGPT is transitioning from a tool for asking questions to a tool for executing tasks. This shift is characterized by increased professional use, narrowing global adoption gaps, and a growing user base among older demographics.

Professional Use Prioritizes Task Completion

Users are significantly more likely to use ChatGPT for "doing"—producing outputs or performing specific tasks—when working compared to when they are outside of a work context. Across the globe, the likelihood of using ChatGPT to complete tasks such as coding, editing, or conducting analysis is more than twice as high in professional settings than in personal use.

In contrast, personal use remains primarily exploratory, with "asking" (seeking information and clarification) remaining the dominant category of interaction.

Narrowing Global Adoption Gaps

Per-capita adoption of ChatGPT is increasing rapidly in regions that were previously slower to adopt the technology. Data from Q2 2026 indicates that countries in Latin America, Oceania, and Africa are catching up to early adopters.

Regional Growth: Peru, Uruguay, and Costa Rica saw the most significant rises in global rankings for messages-per-capita.
Steady Growth: While adoption continues to rise in North America and Europe, the gap between these regions and the Southern Hemisphere is narrowing.

Expansion of Multimedia Capabilities

Multimedia generation, analysis, and retrieval have become the fastest-growing use cases globally. This growth was accelerated by the release of ChatGPT Images 2.0 in April 2026.

Global Share: Multimedia use now accounts for 7.8% of all messages globally.
Regional Concentration: In Brazil and Colombia, multimedia interactions account for more than one in ten messages.

Increased Adoption Among Users Over 35

ChatGPT usage is expanding beyond early adopters to include older age cohorts. Based on self-reported age data, the share of messages sent by users aged 35 and older has increased in nearly every country over the past year.

Global Trend: Users over 35 now account for a 5% higher share of messages compared to 12 months prior.
European Growth: France and Czechia saw the most dramatic increases, with the share of messages from users 35+ rising by more than 10 percentage points.
Regional Variance: While nearly three-quarters of European countries saw larger-than-average increases in this demographic, some Southeast Asian countries, such as Singapore, showed a different pattern, though the share of messages still increased in six of the eight countries in that region by a small margin.

Data Scope and Methodology

The findings are based on data from the OpenAI Economic Research team and reflect messages sent within ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, and Pro accounts. These accounts are generally managed by individuals rather than organizations. The full dataset and methodology are available through the OpenAI Signals hub.