When OpenAI released its first version of ChatGPT in 2022, it was initially seen as a free “research preview”. However, this first release gained immediate viral attention for its human-like conversational abilities, rapidly attracting over one million users in just five days and surpassing 100 million users within two months. One of the key strengths of ChatGPT lies in its network effects. As millions of people interact with the model, their feedback helps refine and improve its capabilities. Now, the tool that began as something we tried out of curiosity has quickly become something many of us cannot imagine working or even living without. But is this something to cause concern, or a step in the right direction?
It is remarkable how swiftly ChatGPT has integrated into our daily routines. What was once a fun experiment has transformed into an indispensable tool for many. A good example of this is a survey of over 1100 physicians, which showed that nearly two-thirds of them reported using AI tools, including ChatGPT, in their day-to-day practice. Eighty-two percent of the physicians noted to do this weekly, and half of those admitted to using this tool at least once a day.
Beyond healthcare, ChatGPT’s influence is expanding across various sectors. According to recent reports, the tool has already surpassed 1 billion searches. Though this number remains far behind Google’s 90 billion searches, digital entrepreneur Ben van den Burg notes that ChatGPT is growing in popularity due to its ease of use. And it’s not hard to see why people grow dependent on tools that make things faster and easier than before. This is why many companies are integrating AI into their services as well, allowing users to interact with ChatGPT within their platforms. By adding these features, they are engaging in platform envelopment, expanding their tools into areas that were once handled by separate services. Google itself is integrating AI into its search results, but this approach does not generate a strong business model. ChatGPT takes all the content from a website and presents it on its own platform to users. As a website owner, you don’t earn anything from this.
This rapid adoption raises important questions. Is our increasing reliance on ChatGPT a sign of efficiency, or does it make us dependent on previously ‘simple’ tasks? Some argue that tools like ChatGPT contribute to ‘lazy’ behaviour. One professor at the University of Utrecht wrote in an article for the NRC: “ChatGPT encourages a culture of mediocrity.”, where he talks about students aiming for minimal effort rather than striving for excellence.
In my opinion, ChatGPT offers numerous benefits, making tasks like checking spelling quicker and allowing us to focus on more meaningful activities. While it’s essential to verify the information provided by AI, I don’t believe its integration into daily life is necessarily negative. In the end, ChatGPT only works well when we guide it properly with clear instructions. And even then, we must review its output carefully since errors can happen. Right now, the model can only work well with the guidance and corrections made by humans. Instead of making us lazy, ChatGPT can handle time-consuming tasks, enabling us to concentrate on what truly matters.
So, did ChatGPT become too useful, or does it just handle repetitive tasks quicker, allowing us to focus on the important things? And while it might be easy to think ChatGPT is not that involved in your life yet, ask yourself: Could you go for a month without it?
References:
Paauw, S., Niemansburg, S., & Van de Lindeloof, E. (2025, 16 september). ChatGPT populair bij artsen: ‘Ik gebruik het om snel kennis op te doen’. Medischcontact.
https://www.medischcontact.nl/actueel/laatste-nieuws/artikel/chatgpt-populair-bij-artsen-ik-gebruik-het-om-snel-kennis-op-te-doen
Munneke, P. K. (2025, 18 september). ChatGPT verheft de middelmaat. NRC. https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/09/18/chatgpt-verheft-de-middelmaat-a4906271
Englebert, B. (2025, 30 april). Gebruikt iedereen straks ChatGPT in plaats van Google? “Dit gaat echt sneller dan je denkt”. WNL. https://wnl.tv/2025/04/30/gebruikt-iedereen-straks-chatgpt-in-plaats-van-google-dit-gaat-echt-sneller-dan-je-denkt
Broesterhuizen, C., & Jansma, J. (2023, 17 juni). Wie wint de AI-oorlog? NOS.
https://nos.nl/nieuwsuur/artikel/2479274-wie-wint-de-ai-oorlog
