OpenAI Reports ChatGPT Processes Over 2.5 Billion User Prompts Daily, Doubling Since Sam Altman’s December DealBook Summit Reveal
OpenAI has confirmed that ChatGPT now processes over 2.5 billion user prompts daily, marking a significant milestone in the platform’s global usage. This figure represents a 150% increase from December 2024, when CEO Sam Altman revealed at the DealBook Summit that ChatGPT was handling approximately 1 billion daily prompts. The surge in activity places ChatGPT’s engagement at roughly one-fifth of Google’s daily search queries, underscoring the AI tool’s rapid mainstream adoption.
According to data obtained by Axios and confirmed by OpenAI spokesperson Rob Friedlander, about 330 million of these daily prompts originate from users in the United States alone. This translates to an annual total of over 912.5 billion requests to the AI chatbot. While this number is impressive, it’s worth noting that Google still leads with around 5 trillion annual searches.
The growth trajectory of ChatGPT has been remarkable. In just a few months, its weekly active user base has expanded from 300 million last December to more than 500 million by March 2025. This rapid increase in users aligns with OpenAI’s mission to make AI accessible to everyone, as repeatedly emphasized by CEO Sam Altman.
India has emerged as a leading market for ChatGPT, particularly in mobile app downloads and usage, surpassing adoption rates in many other countries. This global expansion has been facilitated by OpenAI’s commitment to maintaining a robust free version, which continues to account for most of ChatGPT’s user base.
The surge in ChatGPT usage can be attributed to several factors:
- Educational support: Students widely use the platform as a digital tutor for homework assistance, concept clarification, and exam preparation.
- Professional applications: Knowledge workers and software professionals leverage ChatGPT for code generation, automating repetitive writing tasks, and summarizing complex content.
- Productivity enhancement: Many users rely on the AI chatbot for tasks ranging from composing emails to drafting reports.
- Creative pursuits: ChatGPT is frequently used for brainstorming, writing poetry, and generating stories.
OpenAI continues to develop new features to expand ChatGPT’s capabilities. The company is reportedly working on ChatGPT Agent, a tool designed to autonomously execute complex tasks on user devices. Additionally, there are indications that OpenAI is developing an AI-powered web browser to compete directly with leading platforms like Google Chrome.
The dramatic growth of ChatGPT since December 2024 — more than doubling its daily prompts — surpasses typical growth rates seen in consumer technology products. This rapid adoption has sparked debates about data privacy, digital literacy, the accuracy of AI-generated content, and the need for clear AI governance.
As users increasingly shift towards AI-powered conversational platforms, there is growing anticipation that established tech companies will respond with new and more advanced AI offerings. This shift represents not just competition for search traffic, but a fundamental change in how digital information and expertise are delivered.
Industry experts highlight that this trend could accelerate the integration of AI agents into devices, browsers, and operating systems. Companies across the tech sector are re-evaluating their AI strategies, investments, and product roadmaps in response to this pronounced change in user behavior and expectations.
While ChatGPT’s growth is impressive, it’s important to note that most of its user base still relies on the free version. This underscores the importance of accessibility in driving AI adoption on a global scale. As the AI landscape continues to evolve, the coming months and years will likely see further innovations and shifts in how users interact with and leverage artificial intelligence in their daily lives.