Use of OpenAI chatbot quietens considerably during the summer break
ChatGPT usage jumped to 78.3 billion tokens as schools returned in September 2025
OpenRouter data shows steep contrast between academic year peaks and summer lulls
Students remain a major driver of daily ChatGPT traffic, studies confirm
In news which likely won’t come as a huge surprise to anyone, ChatGPT has seen a sharp rise in usage as schools reopen in the West, with token generation climbing to record levels.
New data from OpenRouter claimed that on September 18, OpenAI’s hugely popular chatbot recorded 78.3 billion tokens, the highest since the summer slowdown.
The surge comes after months of lower activity during school holidays — back in June 2025, when many schools let out, daily usage fell to an average of 36.7 billion tokens, in comparison to May 2025, which averaged nearly 80 billion tokens per day, coinciding with exams and finals.
