A new national poll from Epoch AI and Ipsos finds that artificial intelligence has reached mainstream adoption in the United States, with 50% of adults reporting they used an AI service in the past week. The data highlights how quickly AI tools have moved from niche technology to everyday utility, with ChatGPT emerging as the most widely used platform.

According to the survey, 31% of Americans reported using ChatGPT in the past week, ahead of competitors such as Google Gemini (21%), Microsoft Copilot (11%), and Meta AI (8%). Usage is also frequent, with 65% of AI users engaging with these tools multiple days per week and 16% using them nearly every day.

The findings show that AI is being applied across a wide range of tasks. Around 80% of users rely on AI for information lookup or recommendations, while 59% use it for writing and editing, 55% for learning or advice, and 53% for brainstorming ideas. More advanced use cases are also gaining traction, including image generation (44%) and data analysis or programming (37%).

AI Becomes a Daily Tool

The poll suggests AI is becoming embedded in everyday digital workflows. Most users interact with AI by typing prompts directly, but many also rely on integrated experiences such as AI-powered search summaries or built-in assistants within productivity software. For example, a majority of Copilot users access AI within tools like Word, Excel, or Teams, while nearly half of Gemini users encounter AI-generated summaries in search results.

This integration is accelerating adoption by reducing friction. Rather than seeking out standalone tools, users increasingly encounter AI as part of the platforms they already use, making it a default layer in digital interactions.

Impact on Work and Productivity

The survey also highlights AI’s growing role in the workplace. Among employed respondents who use AI, 51% report using it for work-related tasks. Within that group, 26% primarily use AI for work, while another 25% split usage evenly between professional and personal purposes.

AI is already reshaping job responsibilities. One in five workers said AI now performs tasks they previously handled themselves, while 15% reported taking on new responsibilities enabled by AI tools. Despite this, access remains uneven: half of workers using AI rely on personal accounts or free versions, while only one-third use tools provided by their employer.

The results point to a transitional phase in enterprise adoption. While individuals are rapidly integrating AI into their workflows, many organizations are still formalizing policies, infrastructure, and access. As companies catch up, AI usage is likely to become more standardized across workplaces.

Overall, the data underscores a shift from experimentation to routine use. With half of Americans already engaging with AI weekly, tools like ChatGPT and its competitors are becoming a foundational layer of modern work and everyday decision-making.

Novo Nordisk has partnered with OpenAI to accelerate drug discovery and development using artificial intelligence, as pharmaceutical companies increasingly turn to AI to improve efficiency and outcomes. The collaboration will focus on analyzing complex biological datasets, identifying potential treatments, and shortening the timeline from early research to patient use. Shares of Novo Nordisk rose about 2.8% following the announcement.

The partnership aims to apply AI to some of the most resource-intensive stages of drug development. By leveraging advanced models, Novo Nordisk expects to uncover patterns in large datasets that would be difficult to detect using traditional methods. This could help researchers identify promising drug candidates earlier and test hypotheses more quickly. The company said the approach could ultimately lead to faster development of treatments, particularly for conditions such as obesity and diabetes, where demand remains high.

For OpenAI, the deal represents a further expansion into the life sciences sector, where AI is increasingly being used to support research, clinical trials, and operational workflows. CEO Sam Altman said the technology has the potential to transform industries by enabling new discoveries and improving health outcomes.

AI’s Growing Role in Pharma

The partnership reflects a broader industry trend. Drugmakers are exploring how AI can streamline processes that traditionally take years and cost billions of dollars. While fully AI-driven drug discovery remains an emerging field, companies are already seeing benefits in areas such as clinical trial design, patient recruitment, and data analysis.

Momentum is building across the sector. Eli Lilly recently signed a $2.75 billion deal with Insilico Medicine to commercialize AI-developed therapies globally, underscoring how major pharmaceutical players are investing heavily in AI-driven pipelines. In parallel, AstraZeneca has entered a $555 million milestone-based partnership with Algen Biotechnologies to combine AI with CRISPR gene-editing for immunology drug discovery. Together, these deals illustrate how AI is moving from experimental use into core R&D and commercialization strategies.

Competing in a High-Stakes Market

Novo Nordisk’s investment in AI comes as it faces intense competition from Eli Lilly in the fast-growing weight loss and diabetes treatment market. The company has been working to strengthen its pipeline with new therapies, including next-generation drugs and alternative formulations.

The partnership also builds on Novo Nordisk’s existing AI initiatives. The company has previously collaborated with Nvidia to leverage high-performance computing infrastructure for drug discovery, including the use of the Gefion supercomputer to develop customized AI models.

By combining its pharmaceutical expertise with OpenAI’s technology, Novo Nordisk is aiming to gain an edge in both innovation speed and treatment development. As AI adoption accelerates across the healthcare sector, such partnerships are likely to become a key differentiator in the race to bring new therapies to market.