The latest research report from the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) shows that as many as 39.4% of adults use generative AI in August 2024. Among these users, 32% said they use it at least once a week, and 10% use it every day. Looking at the workplace, 28% of workers use generative AI at work, nearly a quarter of workers use it at least once a week, and 10.9% of workers use generative AI every day.
The application of generative AI is not limited to high-tech or highly educated occupations. The use of generative AI is also gradually becoming popular in some occupations that are traditionally considered less related to technology. Up to 49% of workers in computer/mathematics/management occupations use generative AI; about 42% in the business/finance industry; about 38% in the education industry; blue-collar workers such as construction and mining, installation and maintenance, technical production, and transportation and handling, etc. About 22% of workers use generative AI at work.
Generative AI is most commonly used for: writing, searching, and obtaining detailed instructions
The study also revealed the usage ratio of specific AI tools. According to the report, ChatGPT is the most commonly used generative AI, with a usage rate of 28.5%; followed by Gemini, with a usage rate of 16.3%, and embedded products accounted for 13.6%. Embedded products refer to tools that integrate AI functions into existing software, such as Microsoft Copilot. Other commonly used generative AI tools include Github Copilot (5.3%), Midjourney (4.3%), Scribe (4.3%), Claude (3.9%), and Synthesia (3.0%).
This study also investigated the use of generative AI in 11 different work projects, including writing, searching, obtaining detailed instructions, translation, administrative affairs, coding, data analysis, creative thinking, customer service support, coaching and education, etc. The study found that generative AI is most commonly used in writing at work, with up to 57% of respondents saying they have used generative AI in writing. In addition, 49% of respondents use generative AI to search for information, and 48% use generative AI to obtain detailed instructions.
Respondents rated the most helpful functions of generative AI in work projects as writing (38%), administrative tasks (27%), and translation (23%). In terms of usage time, 25% of respondents use AI for more than 1 hour a day, and 52% use it for 15 to 60 minutes a day.
Research results also show that 32.7% of respondents use generative AI in situations other than work, including to assist in arranging personal to-do lists or schedules (41%), generating ideas (40.8%), and writing (37.8%) )wait.
Generative AI is gaining popularity rapidly! ChatGPT has been around for 2 years, with a usage rate of nearly 40%
To understand the speed of generative AI adoption, this study compared it with the speed of adoption of personal computers and the Internet, using the "first launch of mass-market products" as a benchmark, and found that since ChatGPT came out in November 2022 In the past 2 years, the usage rate of generative AI has been 39.5%. However, the usage rate of the Internet only reached 20% 2 years after its launch; the usage rate of personal computers only reached 20% 3 years after its launch.
The report notes that generative AI is gaining ground faster, primarily due to its greater use outside of the workplace, which researchers believe may be related to portability and cost differences. The study also found that the popularization trend of generative AI and personal computers is related to academic qualifications. Workers with a bachelor's degree or above have about the same usage rate in the workplace two years after the launch of generative AI and three years after the launch of personal computers. 42%; for workers without a college degree, the utilization rate is only about 20%. In addition, generative AI and PC usage also increase with income.
Research shows that generative AI can optimize workflow and automate many repetitive tasks. However, because the use of generative AI is more common among younger, more educated and higher-income workers, it may be associated with personal computers. Universal access similarly increases labor market inequality, making it harder for disadvantaged groups to obtain well-paying jobs.
Source: NBER
