Artificial intelligence technology is becoming increasingly essential in daily life, as evidenced by an Elon University survey indicating that 52% of U. S. adults have interacted with large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Copilot. Conducted in January by the Imagining the Digital Future Center at the university in North Carolina, the survey revealed that 34% of the 500 participants who utilized AI reported using LLMs at least once daily. ChatGPT emerged as the most popular, with 72% of respondents claiming to have used it, while Google’s Gemini followed with 50%. It’s becoming commonplace for individuals to form personal connections with AI chatbots. The survey found that 38% of users believe LLMs can "form deep relationships with humans, " and over half have engaged in spoken conversations with chatbots. Approximately 9% stated that they primarily use these models for “social types of interactions, such as casual conversation and companionship. ” Respondents noted that the models can display various personality traits, including confidence, curiosity, and humor. “These findings help establish a foundation for how humans and AI systems will develop together in the years ahead, ” said Lee Rainie, director of the Imagining the Digital Future Center, in a statement to NBC News. “These tools are increasingly woven into everyday life in some quite personal ways at both emotional and practical levels.

This clearly marks another chapter in human history. ” This trend aligns with the broader observation that 51% of participants utilize LLMs for personal use rather than for work. In work contexts, respondents indicated they incorporate these models with applications such as Slack, PowerPoint, and Zoom, using them for tasks like composing emails, researching ideas, and summarizing documents. Over half reported that the models helped enhance their productivity. Despite the benefits, many users expressed concerns about the technology. Sixty-three percent feared that LLMs could replace significant portions of human communication, and 59% worried about potential job losses. AI technology is gaining traction, particularly as the Trump administration advocated for increased investment in this area. In January, Trump announced a partnership involving OpenAI (the entity behind ChatGPT), Oracle, and SoftBank. Executives from these AI companies pledged to invest $100 billion upfront, with a potential total of $500 billion over the next four years. Additionally, Trump signed an executive order regarding AI shortly after taking office. Regarding political usage, the survey showed that Republican LLM users are more inclined than their Democratic counterparts to seek political news and information via these models, with 34% utilizing them for such purposes. Vice President JD Vance has been vocal about the need to address bias in AI, stating during an AI summit in Paris that the “Trump administration will ensure that AI systems developed in America are free from ideological bias and will not infringe upon our citizens’ free speech rights. ” However, the survey indicated that 49% of users believe that LLM creators should be responsible for minimizing bias in the models’ responses rather than government officials and lawmakers.