ChatGPT has been making headlines recently, and in some cases even writing them itself. Drawing in millions of users and receiving widespread acclaim as a major leap forward in AI technology, the ground-breaking search engine promises to answer any question you can think of, ranging from general knowledge to the highly technical. But while all of this has captured the interest of those living in Leicester and London, it is unlikely to spark the same enthusiasm amongst those in Luton, which BanklessTimes.com can reveal is the UK region least likely to be interested in searching for information on ChatGPT.
A data analytics exercise carried out by Bankless Times with the help of Google Keyword Planner highlights the stark regional variations in searches for ChatGPT, with the following charting the average number of searches per 100,000 people in each population centre, and the growth in searches between December 2022 and January 2023.
It will not escape the notice of anyone looking at these statistics that there has been a truly phenomenal take-off in interest in artificial intelligence over the past month or so, with searches for ChatGPT more than doubling in almost every region.
Jonathan Merry, CEO of BanklessTimes.comI find it fascinating that in every English city, bar Bristol, we’re seeing that the search results have doubled between December and January alone. The same nearly follows in Scotland and Northern Ireland too. While ChatGPT officially launched at the end of November with close to a million users, by the beginning of February it boasted 100 million unique visitors and it’s likely that this will continue to grow.
London Leads in Europe for AI Innovation
Looking now at the regional differences, is it no surprise to see the capital high up on the list. ChatGPT may have started out in San Francisco, but across the pond London is widely regarded as the leading city in the UK for AI innovation, with many pioneering companies in the industry headquartered here. The UK city far outstrips its European counterparts, including Berlin and Paris, thanks in part to the Mayor’s Office having a dedicated commitment to integrate AI technologies into all areas of public life, including healthcare, insurance, security and communication. London is also home to several world-renowned AI research institutions, including the esteemed Alan Turing Institute, and is the location of choice for 80% of AI start-up companies.
Interestingly, however, London did not take the top spot for interest in ChatGBT. That distinction goes to Leicester, logging an astonishing 1,536 additional search results per 100,000 of the population.
Leicester Residents Are the Most Interested in ChatGPT
So why is Leicester so interested in ChatGPT? The answer may lie in the fact that Leicester is home to two universities: The University of Leicester and De Montfort University, both of which have popular courses in Artificial Intelligence, while a third university, Loughborough, sits just outside of the city and is one of the leading universities in Computer Sciences.
Indeed when we asked ChatGPT what its Leicester-based users liked to talk about most, artificial intelligence was given as the third most popular topic of conversation in the city, with many locals using ChatGPT to ask about the latest developments in AI or machine-based learning.
We needn’t worry too much about Leicester’s computer-wizards monopolising ChatGPT to create ever more intelligent machines though, because our research shows that the majority of Leicesterites (in common with Londoners) are more interested in asking ChatGPT for information on local events and businesses. After that, Leicesterites’ second most popular topic of conversation is universities and colleges, while Londoners are likely to come to ChatGPT for transport advice.
Luton Residents Are the Least Interested in ChatGPT
The fact that the university application process is amongst the top three ChatGPT topics in both Leicester and London could say a lot about the average age of the user. While more detailed data does not yet exist, we do know that 62.52% of all visitors to ChatGPT are between 18 and 34.
Age is perhaps one reason that ChatGPT isn’t faring as well in Luton, a city with an average age of 37.8 years, which is 4 years greater than the Leicester average. Residents of Luton were nearly three times less likely than Leicesterites to search for ChatGPT on Google, and interestingly when they did ask a question they were more likely to ask about advancing their careers and losing weight. This is very different to the data collated in London and Leicester, where the questions asked tended to be more information based than advice driven.
Which Cities Ask the Most Questions on AI?
While our analysis reveals that Leicester, London and Leeds are the three UK cities most likely to search for information relating to ChatGPT, which UK cities are the most inquisitive about artificial intelligence and machine-based learning? We asked ChatGPT, which ranked the top 5 based on the most questions asked on this topic:
| # | UK City |
| 1 | London |
| 2 | Manchester |
| 3 | Bristol |
| 4 | Edinburgh |
| 5 | Cambridge |
London tops the list, but Manchester (which didn’t even make our top ten based on per capita search numbers) comes a close second. ChatGPT users in Manchester tend to ask about emerging technologies and how they shape the future, so despite a 123% increase in ChatGPT searches between December 2022 and January 2023, it seems that many Mancunians already have their eyes open for the next big thing.
Bristol is another UK city that is growing in prominence in the field of artificial intelligence. The University of Bristol has a dedicated research group focussed on AI, called the Bristol Robotics Laboratory, which collaborates with industry partners on cutting-edge research projects. The city also runs several AI-related events and conferences throughout the year, including the Bristol Technology Showcase and the AI Accelerator Program, which attracts investors, entrepreneurs and researchers from all over the world. With this pedigree it shouldn’t surprise you to hear that most ChatGPT users in Bristol are asking about the latest developments in AI and other emerging technologies, particularly in the context of environmental and social impact.
Leeds is the final city to feature in our top three, with its users 2.3 times more likely to search for information on ChatGPT than Liverpudlians. While Leeds University has a dedicated Centre for AI and Robotics, it is not yet regarded as a major AI hub in the UK, and indeed users in the city are more likely to come to ChatGPT for football scores than for scientific information.
With limited data on ChatGPT we can only take an informed guess at why artificial intelligence is proving more popular in some cities than others. But with the search volumes more than doubling across the country between December and January alone, the team at Bankless Times thinks it is only a matter of time before we’re all harnessing ChatGPT’s power.
