How people are using GenAI chatbots: Evidence from web traffic data
The OECD has published an analysis of how people across different countries and demographic groups are using generative AI chatbots, drawing on web traffic data from the analytics firm Similarweb. The research offers a cross-national look at adoption and usage patterns based on observed browsing behavior rather than self-reported surveys.
Why this matters: Web traffic data tells you a lot about people without ever asking them anything. Similarweb and tools like it track where millions of users go online, how long they stay, and what they do next. That data is useful for research. It is also a detailed record of behavior that people did not consciously hand over. When that data feeds into OECD policy work, it shapes how governments think about AI regulation and public access. Worth knowing where the evidence base comes from and what it quietly reveals about who is being watched to build it.
Who should care: AI governance · Lawyers · Administrators · General readers · Policy
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