AI usage shows an even gender split but gender differences emerge in platform choices
New research from Roy Morgan shows that AI users are almost evenly split between men (50.3%) and women (49.7%). Overall, there are 6.8 million male users and 6.7 million female users.
This balance is largely reflected in the gender breakdown of OpenAI’s ChatGPT user base – the most widely used AI platform for Australians. ChatGPT has an almost even gender split used by 5.3 million women (50.6% of users) and just under 5.2 million men (49.4%).
However, other leading AI platforms show a skew towards male users, including Google Gemini (2.8 million men cf. 2.1 million women), Microsoft Copilot (2.3 million men cf. 1.7 million women), and Anthropic’s Claude (459,000 men cf. 318,000 women).
In contrast, Canva’s Magic Studio stands out as a clear exception, with a heavy skew towards female users who make up more than 60% of its userbase (821,000 women cf. 547,000 men).
Top five AI platforms – breakdown by gender
Source: Roy Morgan Single Source, January – March 2026. Base: Australians 14+, n=14,646.
Students account for over a fifth of all AI users; University students are most likely to use AI
21% of AI users are currently studying – either attending secondary school, TAFE, college or university on a regular basis. Among all students, ChatGPT is clearly the number one AI platform used by almost 2.5 million students, double the second-placed Google Gemini (1,045,000 student users), and almost four times third-placed Microsoft Copilot (682,000 student users).
University students are 27% more likely to use AI platforms than the general population, and more likely to use AI compared to other types of students (such as secondary school students, TAFE students, commercial college students or other students).
Over 1 million university students now use ChatGPT, and the platform is well ahead of second-placed Google Gemini (444,000 university student users) and third-placed Microsoft Copilot (287,000 university student users).
AI users are far more likely to be employed full-time than average Australians – and this drives higher incomes, and greater savings and investments amongst users of AI platforms
A majority of AI platform users, 51% are employed full time compared to just over 40% of all Australians.
Importantly, the high rate of full-time employment among AI users drives higher annual incomes. The median personal income for all AI users is $67k annually, which is 26% higher than for the average Australian aged 14+ ($53k).
Microsoft Copilot (63%) and Claude (65%) have the highest share of full-time workers amongst their user bases – significantly higher than other AI. Given this, unsurprisingly users of Claude (with median personal incomes of $90k) and Microsoft Copilot ($87k) have the highest median personal incomes of the five main AI platforms.
In contrast, users of Google Gemini report the lowest median personal income of any of the leading AI platforms at $63k, only 19% higher than the general population.
Median Personal Income for Australians and by users of different AI platforms
Source: Roy Morgan Single Source, January – March 2026. Base: Australians 14+, n=14,646.
Users of Microsoft Copilot and Claude have far higher savings and investment levels
The median total savings and investments held by AI users is $181k, which is 22% higher than the general population ($149k).
In addition, Microsoft Copilot and Claude users report far higher levels again compared to the average user. The median savings and investments of someone who uses Microsoft Copilot is $281k (89% higher than the general population) and for Claude is $240k (61% higher).
The users of the most widely used AI platform, ChatGPT, have the lowest median saving and investments at $168k, which is only 13% higher than the general population.
Median Savings and Investments of Australians and by users of different AI platforms
Source: Roy Morgan Single Source, January – March 2026. Base: Australians 14+, n=14,646.
Michele Levine, Roy Morgan CEO, says the explosion in usage of AI platforms in recent years – the latest Roy Morgan data shows 13.6 million Australians now use AI– has created a whole new market and different AI platforms are proving to appeal to different types of Australians:
“Only a few years after being launched AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Canva Magic Studio and Claude are already used by around 58% of Australians aged 14+ – an estimated 13.6 million people.
“This huge new market – which is still growing rapidly – has developed quickly, and although ChatGPT is the undisputed market leader, used by an estimated 10.5 million Australians, other AI platforms are being adopted by valuable demographics in increasing numbers.
“Australian technology company Canva has over 1.3 million users for its AI platform Canva Magic Studio, and uniquely among the leading platforms – over 60% of its Australian users are female. All other leading platforms have either an almost 50:50 gender split or are more heavily used by males.
“A key market for AI companies is among Australia’s students – and especially university students. This valuable cohort is 27% more likely to use AI platforms than the general population, and more likely than other student groups such as secondary school students or TAFE students.
“Importantly, AI platforms are also used by people on higher-than-average incomes and higher than average wealth, savings, and investments – a valuable demographic for advertisers to reach.
“The median annual income of someone who uses AI platforms is $67k vs. $53k for the general population (26% higher for AI users). In addition, the median savings and investments of AI users is $181k vs. $149k for the general population (22% higher for AI users).
“Claude and Microsoft Copilot stand out amongst AI platforms with a clear majority of their users being employed full-time – over 60% in fact. This high proportion of full-time workers means the median annual income, and savings and investments, of Claude and Microsoft Copilot users is far higher than the general population, and clearly higher than users of other AI platforms.”
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About Roy Morgan
Roy Morgan is the source of the most comprehensive data on Australians’ behaviour and attitudes, surveying over 1,000 people weekly in a continuous cycle that has been running for two decades. The company has more than 80 years’ experience collecting objective, independent information.
Margin of Error
The margin of error to be allowed for in any estimate depends mainly on the number of interviews on which it is based. Margin of error gives indications of the likely range within which estimates would be 95% likely to fall, expressed as the number of percentage points above or below the actual estimate. Allowance for design effects (such as stratification and weighting) should be made as appropriate.
| Sample Size | Percentage Estimate |
| 40% – 60% | 25% or 75% | 10% or 90% | 5% or 95% | |
| 1,000 | ±3.0 | ±2.7 | ±1.9 | ±1.3 |
| 5,000 | ±1.4 | ±1.2 | ±0.8 | ±0.6 |
| 7,500 | ±1.1 | ±1.0 | ±0.7 | ±0.5 |
| 10,000 | ±1.0 | ±0.9 | ±0.6 | ±0.4 |
| 20,000 | ±0.7 | ±0.6 | ±0.4 | ±0.3 |
| 50,000 | ±0.4 | ±0.4 | ±0.3 | ±0.2 |
