The Surprising Ways People Use ChatGPT (And What It Means for Entrepreneurs & SME Owners)
- Sep 22
- 3 min read
When I first started using ChatGPT in November 2022, it was… chaotic. It hallucinated facts, messed up logic, and sometimes gave me answers that made no sense. But I stuck with it.
Why? Well, it was fun to experiment - even though it gave me weird answers, it was still fascinating to see something that gives answers that were not programmed. And of course, it was because I knew it had potential. I could see how this technology might change the way we think, work, and build businesses, especially for entrepreneurs and small business owners like me who may not have 100s of human resources or a million dollars to solve problems.
Now, fast forward to 2025, ChatGPT has over 180 million users, and the National Bureau of Economic Research just published a fascinating paper titled “How People Use ChatGPT”. The data was collected from 29 million user prompts, offering a rare behind-the-scenes look at how people really use AI in their daily lives.
Here are three surprising insights, and what they mean for you if you’re exploring AI for SMEs, AI for non-techies, or simply curious about how to use AI in your business.
People Use AI More to Ask and Express, Not Just Do
According to the paper:
49% of prompts were “Asking” (e.g., explanations, advice)
40% were “Doing” (e.g., content creation, coding, summarization)
11% were “Expressing” (e.g., emotional reflection, journaling)
That last one really surprised me: 11% of prompts were about expressing emotions. That means millions of people are using ChatGPT not just as a tool, but as a thought partner, therapist, or emotional sounding board.
For SME owners: This shows you that AI isn’t just about automation - it’s also about emotional clarity. Use tools like ChatGPT to help you think through decisions, improve how you communicate, or even defuse difficult conversations before they happen.
I have a lot of good tips to do this - I'll be sharing them very soon, so keep coming back for updates!
Only 30% of Prompts Were Work-Related
Who could have guessed: Only 30% of the prompts were related to work or productivity.
So what are people doing the other 70% of the time? Travel tips, birthday poems, personal dilemmas, recipe help? Generative AI like ChatGPT changed the way we solve problems - not only for work, but largely for personal matters.
Now imagine if we could flip that.
Most non-technical entrepreneurs I speak to still think ChatGPT is just a smarter version of Google. But it’s so much more. You can use it to:
Draft sales emails and landing pages
Simplify legal language in contracts
Build pitch decks
Brainstorm product ideas
Create personalized onboarding flows
…and even rewrite your website copy
If you’re running a small business and not using AI tools like ChatGPT to actually get work done, you’re leaving massive productivity gains on the table.
Developing Countries Are Catching Up - Fast
The paper also found rapid user growth in developing countries - particularly from 2023 onwards. The democratization of AI tools like ChatGPT means that anyone with internet access now has a digital assistant, a research analyst, and a business consultant in their pocket.
For founders in regions like the UAE, Southeast Asia, or Africa, this is a huge opportunity. Imagine being part of the group that leads digital transformation in your country - by simply mastering tools that are already available.
Final Thoughts: Give Yourself More Credit
If you’re here reading this, chances are you’re already ahead of the curve. You’re not just reading about AI: you’re trying to integrate it into your business.
You deserve credit. Because despite all the AI hype, most people are still not using it well - or at all.
So don’t stop. Keep experimenting. Keep learning. And most importantly, keep building workflows that work for you.
Want to See Real Use Cases?
➡️ Check out our recent blog series: Not Everything Should Be Automated
➡️ Or download our free guide: AI 101 for Non-Techie Entrepreneurs
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