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February 13, 2026
You’ve probably heard about students using it to write essays or maybe companies leaning into the software for new business applications. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT are making waves in the tech industry and beyond.
But when it comes to new AI, what are people actually excited about? What are they hesitant around? And how might new tools like ChatGPT drive larger financial dynamics?
By digging into Semrush’s search trends and traffic data, we can take stock of what people think and feel about this new type of technology.
Here’s a taste of what we know:
- Google searches for “AI text generator” grew 820% YoY in January 2023
- 89% of ChatGPT’s traffic comes from male users
- Google searches for “what jobs will AI replace” grew YoY by more than 1,000%
Keep reading for more findings and insights that can answer all of your biggest AI-related questions.
Just how popular are these new technologies?
The data bears out just how explosive ChatGPT’s popularity has been. In the month following ChatGPT’s release in November, online searches for “chatgpt” grew by 167,801% according to Semrush data. People flocked to find out more about this new mysterious machine that could write original content in mere seconds.
Beyond ChatGPT, interest in AI has seen a lot of growth in the past year. The tool’s introduction came at a time of excitement around machine learning, artificial intelligence, and foundational language models, both on the part of corporations and individuals.
Searches for “AI text generator” grew 820% YoY in January 2023, including a 235% monthly increase following the release of ChatGPT. Other related topics are seeing increased interest as well. “AI search engine” queries increased by 7,264% YoY, and “text to video AI” grew by 5,900% in that same period.
Does OpenAI’s traffic back up the hype?
It’s clear that plenty of people are searching for AI-related trends, including ChatGPT itself. But do visits to the tool’s parent company website, openai.com, match such hot interest?
In the fall of 2022, OpenAI released two new tools to the public. In addition to ChatGPT, they also debuted another generative AI model with DALL-E 2, which creates original works of art based on user prompts.
The combination of ChatGPT and DALL-E 2 garnered huge audiences for OpenAI. Traffic to the site exploded, growing 42,119% YoY in January 2023 and ringing in over 800 million visitors that month.
To understand what those numbers mean, OpenAI’s site is now bringing in more monthly traffic than household names like The New York Times and The BBC.
Who are the key players in the ChatGPT game?
Lots of people are searching for AI-related topics and visiting OpenAI’s website, with numbers skyrocketing since last year. But who exactly is looking for and using these resources? What characterizes the most avid users of AI technologies?
Breaking down OpenAI’s traffic by geography, a clear concentration emerges. Nearly 20% of all OpenAI traffic comes from US users. After that, the UK, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy make up a combined 20% of total traffic, according to Semrush Traffic .Trends.
It’s important to dig deeper beyond nationality and location to understand which types of consumers see the most value in new AI tools.
According to demographic breakdowns in Semrush .Trends, 83% of OpenAI’s traffic comes from users between the ages of 18 and 34, skewing fairly young. What’s more, 89% of the site’s traffic comes from male users.
What could AI’s rise mean for the broader economy?
There is lots of opportunity around AI’s growing prevalence and availability. When it comes to financial gains, consumers are researching what’s possible.
Searches for “chat gpt stock” increased 396% from December 2022 to January 2023, just after the software’s November release. It’s a buzzy product, and investors are clamoring to see who can get a piece of the pie.
Beyond the stock market, AI presents opportunities for the future of jobs and the workplace. Overall, searches related to AI jobs were up 179% YoY in January. In particular, searches for “AI jobs” grew 239% YoY, with searches for the more specific “AI white collar jobs” surging by a whopping 65,900%.
After wowing the world with ChatGPT, OpenAI is now a desirable employer as well. Queries for “open ai jobs” grew 1,971% YoY.
While many are excited for the potential opportunities of AI, consumer sentiment still shows some fears. For example, the search “will AI take my job” grew 700% YoY in January 2023.
Another similar search, “what jobs will AI replace,” saw YoY growth of 1,011%.
How can Semrush tools help?
As society adjusts to the introduction of more AI tools, balancing excitement with caution and education will be crucial.
To keep your finger on the pulse of all things AI, ChatGPT, and more, check out the tools we used to source this story’s data.
Our Keyword Overview and Keyword Magic tools reveal search volumes, trends, and intent, while the Traffic Analytics tool unveils traffic to other sites, as well as geographical user trends.
