It seems that ChatGPT has become a search engine that surpasses Wikipedia. This is revealed by a recent report from GWI, a market research specialist.
According to the study, OpenAI’s artificial intelligence software has already surpassed Wikipedia in the number of online searches. The AI recorded a 36% increase in users between the first quarter of 2023 and the first quarter of 2024.
Meanwhile, other platforms remained stable or showed only small increases, as explained by Chris Beer, senior data journalist at GWI, to the portal Futurism.
Even though it’s one of the most used encyclopedias in the world, Wikipedia saw a 6.1% drop in user numbers, suggesting that AI may be taking the place of traditional sources of information.
However, experts warn that the rise in ChatGPT usage and the decline of Wikipedia could lead people to lose their sense of what constitutes a truly reliable source of information, which may result in a decline in critical thinking.
It is also worth noting that the study revealed that the AI chatbot is more frequently used as a search tool in the so-called “Global South,” including countries like Brazil, India, the United Arab Emirates, and Kenya.
According to Futurism, the discussion highlights how ubiquitous ChatGPT and other AI technologies are becoming in a world where misinformation is also widespread.
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