ChatGPT has doubled in two years to 200 million users per week, quickly approaching Reddit user numbers

If you have ever wondered, "What is this plant?" If you've ever wondered "What plant is this?" or "Why does my pet look like this? You've probably considered trying ChatGPT. According to recent statistics, if you've tried it within the last week you will be one of 1.9999 millions (give or take) others.

According to Axios, (via TweakTown), ChatGPT's owner OpenAI claims its chatbot grew from 100 million active users per week in 2022 to over 200 million by 2024. These figures are astronomical, but to put them in perspective, Reddit is one of the largest groups of geeks and enthusiasts on the internet. They also provide answers to all of your nonsense questions throughout the day.

This is not just a sign that the AI chatbot, but the internet in general, has grown. MySpace, the largest social media network on the planet at one time, had 100,000,000 users per month. Although it is often mocked for its slow decline and angsty teenage aesthetic, MySpace has had and continues to have a huge impact on the internet.

ChatGPT's popularity has exploded in the last few years. It makes sense because it is essentially what Siri and Alexa and a dozen smart assistants have been failing to deliver for years.

It is understandable that with this rise, there are also detractors. OpenAI recently defended the use of copyrighted materials in the training of their LLMs. This led to many worrying about the negative impact of LLMs on art and gaming in general. ChatGPT is also going to be standard on future iPhones, replacing Siri for some of the most popular smartphone models in the world.

OpenAI claims that this is not the only application for tools such as ChatGPT. Sam Altman, OpenAI CEO, told Axios in a press release: "People use our tools as part of their everyday lives, whether it's helping them with routine tasks, solving difficult problems, or unlocking creative thinking".

Recent papers, such as this one on ScienceDirect suggest that it could be used to help diagnose cancer, although it isn't quite advanced enough yet. This tool is not the only way to go about something so important. It could be used to compile symptoms and suggest plans for a qualified professional if current research is accurate.

ChatGPT is a force to be reckoned with. It's not clear whether people think it's good for society or not.