There aren't actually THAT many people using ChatGPT

• It may be a while before big tech companies can monetize generative AI.
• Adoption of AI tools like chatbots ChatGPT and Google Bard remains surprisingly low.

Some days, it feels like the whole world is using ChatGPT. The reality is less impressive, according to a new survey by Morgan Stanley.

The brokerage firm conducted a 2,000-person study in April focused on AI adoption and found that only 19% of respondents had used ChatGPT, and even fewer, 9% of respondents, had used the Google Bard chatbot.

The overwhelming majority of people not using chatbots said they were unlikely to use the tools in the next six months, the poll also found.

"It's important investors bear in mind how early it is," the Morgan Stanley analysts wrote.

People mostly use chatbot services to learn about a new topic. Usage patterns that could be monetized are further out. Researching new products, comparing prices, and shopping are common uses among early adopters, which Morgan Stanley said could translate into ad revenue.

AI's impact on e-commerce and travel could boost revenue as companies monetize AI-enabled searches and recommendations. When online shopping, 56% of respondents said they start by using Google Search, YouTube, or Bard.

Online travel research was a little more split between Google and travel services like Expedia, and Bookings.com. 37% travel research starts with Google, compared to 33% of searches that start on travel sites.

Morgan Stanley said Google could maintain its advantage through, "a more comprehensive and personalized travel search offering," which the company is already capturing with AI-generated search results and Bard.