OpenAI releases data on global ChatGPT work usage

OpenAI released a new dataset called OpenAI Signals that explores 165 work activities across nearly 100 countries. The data covers work activities ranging from preparing instructional materials and developing marketing content to programming and analyzing business data. It connects ChatGPT usage to 165 work activity categories known as Intermediate Work Activities. The dataset is represented quarterly and spans from the first quarter of 2025 through the third quarter of 2026.

The new data draws on O*NET, a standardized framework that groups occupation-specific tasks into broader categories of work activities shared across occupations. The findings show wide variation across countries in how people use ChatGPT for work. Connecting ChatGPT usage data with these categories revealed that work-related use became less concentrated in the most common activities over time. Countries tended to specialize in their work over time, with different nations specializing in different types of work.

The data covers work-related messages on individual ChatGPT plans and does not include enterprise messages or Codex use. To protect users' privacy, researchers do not read individual conversations in the released data. Automated systems classify messages after identifying information is removed to ensure privacy protection.