# Pew 2026: Half of U.S. Adults Use Chatbots—Mainstream Behavior, Still ChatGPT-First

Times of AI Desk · 2026-06-17 · Industry

[https://timesof.ai/2026/06/pew-americans-and-ai-2026-chatbot-adoption](https://timesof.ai/2026/06/pew-americans-and-ai-2026-chatbot-adoption)

> Pew: 49% of U.S. adults use AI chatbots (up from 33% in 2024), ~1-in-4 daily; ChatGPT 44% leads Gemini 24%, Copilot 17%, Grok 8%, Claude 6%. Cleanest population checkpoint that generative AI crossed into mainstream—while skepticism on societal impact persists.

This is the cleanest population-level checkpoint that generative AI has crossed into **mainstream U.S. consumer behavior**—half of adults, a quarter daily—while brand hierarchy remains ChatGPT-first. For product, policy, and media teams, Pew’s numbers ground hype and IPO narratives in how ordinary Americans actually use (and doubt) AI.

Pew Research Center’s **Americans and AI 2026** report finds **about half of U.S. adults (49%)** now use AI chatbots—up from **33% in 2024**—with roughly **one-in-four** using them daily. **ChatGPT** leads brand usage (**44%** of adults), followed by Gemini (24%), Copilot (17%), Meta AI (14%), Grok (8%), and Claude (6%). Adoption is rising even as many Americans remain skeptical that AI will be a net positive for society.

## Key findings

From Pew’s primary report (survey of U.S. adults, American Trends Panel, Feb 17–23, 2026; n≈5,119; ±1.6 pp):

- **Chatbot use**: **49%** ever use AI chatbots (ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, etc.), vs **33%** in 2024 (and ~23% in 2023 trends).
- **Daily use**: Roughly **one-in-four** adults use chatbots daily (including “several times a day” / “almost constantly” splits in detailed tables).
- **Brand share among adults**: ChatGPT **44%** (more than double 2023 levels in TechCrunch summary); Gemini **24%**; Copilot **17%**; Meta AI **14%**; Grok **8%**; Claude **6%**; Character.ai **3%**.
- **Search**: Large shares encounter **AI-generated summaries** in search results (coverage cites ~**60%** reading AI search summaries).
- **Attitudes**: More adults still lean negative than positive on AI’s long-term personal/societal impact; awareness of chatbots continues to climb (“a lot” heard about chatbots rose vs 2024).

Fieldwork predates June product shocks (Fable suspension, etc.); figures describe early-2026 behavior released mid-year.

## Limits

- February fieldwork—does not capture mid-June Fable freeze or late-June model launches.
- Brand shares are “ever use among adults,” not weekly active or enterprise seat counts.
- Societal-impact attitudes remain more negative than positive despite rising use.

## Sources

- Pew Research Center: “Americans and AI 2026: Chatbots, Smart Devices and Views on Impact” (pewresearch.org, June 17, 2026). Primary report and charts.
- Pew full PDF report (PI_2026.06.17_Americans-and-AI_REPORT.pdf).
- TechCrunch summary of brand shares and societal-impact findings (June 17, 2026).