ChatGPT Dominates Global AI Market, Raising Energy Concerns

New study reveals top 5 countries using the popular language model, with the U.S. and Canada leading in usage.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 7:53pm

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A recent study by BestBrokers has found that ChatGPT, the AI chatbot created by OpenAI, holds a 60.4% market share in the global AI industry. The United States leads in total users with over 205 million, followed by India, Brazil, Canada, and France. While the U.S. has the most users, Canadians send the most prompts to the AI assistant, averaging around 130 messages per citizen annually. However, the massive usage of ChatGPT raises concerns about its energy consumption, with researchers estimating it could power the entire United States for nearly two days.

Why it matters

The rapid growth of ChatGPT usage highlights the increasing integration of AI technology into our daily lives, from personal tasks to business operations. As more people rely on the chatbot, there are growing concerns about the environmental impact of the energy-intensive nature of large language models. This story explores the global reach of ChatGPT and the potential challenges it poses in terms of sustainability and energy consumption.

The details

According to the BestBrokers study, ChatGPT's weekly active users have reached 900 million as of March 2026, with around 50 million having a paid subscription. The researchers estimate that each prompt to ChatGPT requires 18.9 watt-hours of energy, over 60 times more than a Google search. With ChatGPT handling an estimated 3.2 billion queries per day, or 1 trillion annually, the bot's energy consumption could power 2.11 million average U.S. homes for a full year, charge every electric vehicle in the U.S. about 36 times, or fully charge 4.23 billion iPhones every day for a year. The annual cost of this energy usage is estimated to be around $3.019 billion, though OpenAI is projected to generate $15.8 billion in revenue from its 50 million paying subscribers this year.

  • In December 2024, OpenAI reported that ChatGPT had 300 million weekly active users.
  • By September 2025, the number of weekly active users had climbed to 700 million.
  • As of March 2026, ChatGPT's weekly active users have reached 900 million.

The players

OpenAI

The artificial intelligence research company that created ChatGPT, based in San Francisco.

Sam Altman

The CEO of OpenAI, who reported the 300 million weekly active users figure for ChatGPT in September 2023.

Alan Goldberg

A researcher at BestBrokers, the company that conducted the study on ChatGPT's global usage and energy consumption.

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What they’re saying

“While millions have already built the chatbot and other AI tools into their daily workflows, the usage is apparently changing: people seem to rely more on rival AI apps and tools for work and prefer ChatGPT for their personal use.”

— Alan Goldberg, Researcher, BestBrokers

What’s next

Researchers and policymakers will likely continue to monitor the environmental impact of ChatGPT and other large language models as their usage continues to grow. This could lead to discussions about energy efficiency, sustainability, and the long-term viability of AI-powered technologies.

The takeaway

The meteoric rise of ChatGPT usage, particularly in the U.S. and Canada, highlights both the widespread adoption of AI technology and the potential challenges it poses in terms of energy consumption and environmental sustainability. As AI becomes more integrated into our daily lives, finding ways to balance innovation with responsible resource management will be crucial.