ChatGPT leads Australia’s AI market as heavier users expand their AI toolkit

Which AI tools in Australia are people using most, and how does behaviour change as users become more experienced with generative AI?

Generative AI has evolved rapidly over the past two years. What began as widespread curiosity is now becoming an established part of everyday life for many Australians. Yet while new AI platforms continue to emerge, Fifth Quadrant’s latest Consumer Tracker shows one platform remains well ahead of the competition.

Among Australians with at least some understanding of generative AI, 53% used ChatGPT in the past month, making it by far the most widely used AI platform in Australia. Google’s Gemini sits in second place at 34%, followed by Microsoft Copilot (22%), Claude (9%), Grok (8%), DeepSeek (6%) and Perplexity (5%).

The findings suggest ChatGPT has established a significant lead, consistent with a first-mover advantage. While the AI market is becoming increasingly crowded, Australians continue to gravitate towards one platform more than any other.

However, looking only at overall platform usage tells only part of the story.

More experienced users are building an AI toolkit

The most interesting insight emerges when Australians are segmented according to how they use AI.

Fifth Quadrant classified respondents into heavier AI users, those who use AI as part of their daily lives or frequently for specific tasks, and lighter AI users, who use AI only occasionally or sporadically.

The difference between these two groups is striking.

On average, heavier AI users used 2.23 different AI tools during the past month, compared with just 0.82 tools among lighter users.

Rather than becoming loyal to a single platform, experienced AI users appear to be building their own portfolio of tools, selecting different models depending on the task they are trying to complete.

The pattern is remarkably consistent across every major AI platform.

Nearly eight in ten heavier users (77%) used ChatGPT during the previous month, compared with just 36% of lighter users.

The gap continues across the rest of the market:

• Gemini: 51% vs 22%
• Copilot: 33% vs 14%
• Claude: 19% vs 3%
• Grok: 15% vs 3%
• DeepSeek: 12% vs 2%
• Perplexity: 11% vs 2%

These differences suggest that as Australians become more confident with AI, they increasingly experiment with multiple models rather than relying on a single provider.

This behaviour mirrors what has occurred in other technology markets. Professionals rarely rely on a single productivity application, creative suite or communication platform. Instead, they develop a toolkit of applications, each serving a different purpose.

Generative AI appears to be following the same trajectory.

Competition among AI tools in Australia is becoming broader than usage share

For AI providers, this presents both an opportunity and a challenge.

ChatGPT remains the dominant platform today, but maintaining that position may become increasingly difficult as users gain experience and become more selective.

The data suggests the competitive battleground is shifting from attracting first time users to becoming part of people’s regular AI workflow.

In other words, success may depend less on convincing someone to try an AI platform once and more on ensuring it becomes one of the handful of tools they continue returning to month after month.

That shift also has implications for Australian businesses.

As employees and consumers adopt multiple AI tools, organisations should avoid assuming that AI is synonymous with one platform. Customers are increasingly bringing experience from several different models, each with different strengths, interfaces and expectations.

Businesses introducing AI powered customer experiences will therefore be judged not only against competitors within their own industry, but against the best AI interactions consumers experience elsewhere.

Australia’s AI market is entering a new phase

Australia’s AI market is clearly maturing.

ChatGPT continues to enjoy a commanding lead, but heavier users are already demonstrating that the future may not belong to one platform alone.

Instead, the next stage of AI adoption appears likely to be characterised by multi platform usage, where Australians select different AI tools according to the task at hand. For businesses, technology providers and marketers alike, understanding this shift will be just as important as knowing which platform currently sits at the top of the rankings.

Want to understand how Australians are using AI and what it means for your business? At Fifth Quadrant our market research helps organisations uncover changing consumer behaviours, emerging expectations and new opportunities for growth. Talk to our research team about how we can help you turn market insight into better business decisions.

Source: Fifth Quadrant Consumer Tracker, July 2026