AI and workNews analysis · 2 min read
OpenAI Signals maps ChatGPT use across 165 work activities
OpenAI has released a more detailed view of how consumers use ChatGPT for work. The Signals dataset connects messages to 165 work activities across nearly 100 countries, creating another resource for studying AI adoption.
What changed
The October 26 release covers quarterly data from early 2025 through the third quarter of 2026. It uses O*NET activity categories and publishes aggregated statistics with privacy protections. The sample covers individual ChatGPT plans and excludes enterprise messages and Codex use. Its scope is therefore narrower than all workplace AI activity, and the reported categories do not represent the entire economy’s task mix. Source: ChatGPT’s expanding world of work
Why it matters
Usage data can show which activities people bring to a tool, but it cannot by itself show whether they save time or produce better work. Our assessment is that the dataset is useful for questions about changing patterns and differences across countries. Causal claims about jobs or productivity require additional evidence and a research design that accounts for who chooses to use the service.
What to watch next
Researchers should read the category definitions, omissions and privacy methodology before comparing the series with employment measures. Keep the observation period separate from the release date. The next useful findings will connect these patterns to independently measured outcomes. A growing share of messages about an activity is a signal of use, not a direct measure of labor replaced.
Sources and editorial note
- ChatGPT’s expanding world of work
Original source · 26 October 2026. Accessed 3 November 2026.
AI-assisted reporting and analysis based on the linked primary source. Company results are attributed; we have not independently tested the systems. The context and outlook sections are our analysis. Our editorial standards.