ChatGPT: How are consumers using it, and what issues do they face?

ChatGPT has caused waves in the public domain for people looking to experiment with AI software.

66% of Gen Z respondents have encountered an issue trying to gain access to the site during their duration on Chat GPT.

Savanta surveyed over 1,000 Americans and found that 47% of respondents have used it for fun, as well as for learning purposes. What’s interesting is a substantial portion of millennials, nearly half (42%), have used it for business, as opposed to other generations – Gen Z (29%), Gen X (26%), and Boomers (and above) (20%).

Throughout the past couple of weeks, there’s been more and more information about Microsoft’s move to invest in OpenAI and what it means for other tech moguls looking to keep on top of the latest technologies causing monumental shifts in the industry. Microsoft has confirmed that it has agreed to a multi-year, multi-billion-dollar investment into OpenAI, helping both companies commercialize advanced technologies and accelerate breakthroughs in AI. ChatGPT, in particular, has provided a fun escapism for many looking to experience AI in real-time, and in many cases, for the first time.  Although many companies have continued to be skeptical after trials from other failed AI programs caused massive blowback (Tay, Blenderbot, and Galactica), the tool has been received positively.

So what’s different about ChatGPT? The progress in AI is swift, and public consumption and feedback have provided ChatGPT with tangible research to grow its product more efficiently and accurately. Although safety and bias are a massive concern for generative AI production, ChatGPT’s use of reinforcement learning has given some willingness from prominent investors and the general public to lean into the tool.

Consumer issues with the product

With the excitement surrounding the AI tool, ChatGPT’s portal has struggled with capacity issues. The home screen often displays a projection of its tool, and its limited volume has limited the tool to many. Often at capacity during working hours (9-5) during the week, 55% of total users have encountered an issue with ChatGPT while trying to gain access to the site, with 66% of Gen Z respondents having encountered that issue. Other consumer issues include site accessibility in terms of language, with 50% of Boomers (and above) respondents recording that the problem they faced on gaining access to the site was that the language was too hard to understand.

Looking to the future

Virtually every age and gender group agrees that AI is vital for future business, with 74% of total respondents believing that artificial intelligence will be necessary for creating new successful user technologies or enhancing existing ones in the future. Although the majority of respondents agree that, for the most part, it will be increasingly respected across the industry, there is a significant difference across generations, with a 21% margin between Gen X (81%) and Gen Z (60%).

Across the spectrum, people are looking at how they’ll use it in the future. A few significant percentages to note:

• 59% of male respondents recorded that they could see themselves using ChatGPT out of curiosity/ exploring the new technology in the future.
• Only 15% of Boomers (and above) respondents recorded that they could see themselves using ChatGPT for business purposes in the future.
• 37% of Gen Z respondents recorded that they could see themselves using ChatGPT for fun or pleasure in the future.

It’s no secret that artificial intelligence will be the new wave of commercial success for businesses focusing on innovative and exciting ways to capture their audience. 90% of total respondents believe that there will be a lot of investment in the next year in AI products like ChatGPT.

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