Most AI Chats Lack Commercial Intent, Study Reveals
▼ Summary
– A recent analysis of millions of AI conversations shows most chats have no commercial intent, with users primarily exploring problems and comparing options rather than making purchase queries.
– The median AI chat is very short, lasting only two conversational turns, which typically involves a quick question and answer.
– While most sessions are brief, a small percentage (4.2%) involve long, complex tasks like editing, coding, or data analysis, which skews the average session length.
– User intent analysis found that 64.6% of chats are for non-commercial purposes like brainstorming, planning, learning, analysis, or simply having a conversation.
– When commercial intent is present, it is mostly in the early stages of the purchase funnel (awareness and consideration), with users also frequently seeking post-purchase support.
A recent analysis of millions of AI chat interactions reveals a surprising trend: the majority of these conversations lack any commercial purpose. Instead of seeking to make purchases, users primarily engage with AI for creative tasks, problem-solving, and learning. This insight challenges the prevailing rush among marketers to “optimize for AI,” suggesting a fundamental misunderstanding of how these tools are actually used in everyday scenarios.
The study, which examined an enormous dataset of 4.4 billion characters across 3.9 million conversational turns, paints a clear picture of typical user behavior. The median chat lasts only two turns, a quick question followed by a quick answer. While averages can be skewed by lengthy sessions involving document analysis, the data shows most interactions are brief. More than 80% of chats contain under 1,000 words, with only a small fraction exceeding 2,500 words, which typically represent high-complexity tasks like coding or in-depth tutoring.
When classifying user intent across tens of thousands of sessions, the research found that a substantial 64.6% of AI chats sit completely outside any traditional purchase funnel. Users are not flooding assistants with “buy” queries. Instead, they are leveraging AI for a wide range of non-commercial activities. The top categories include general “Other” requests like roleplay, followed by brainstorming, planning, and even seeking conversational or emotional support. Creative tasks like writing and coding, along with learning and analysis, also represent significant portions of use.
Only 35.4% of chats demonstrated any form of commercial intent, and most of these were focused on the early stages of the customer journey. Awareness and consideration phases together accounted for 18.5% of chats, identified as the prime area for effective product content. Interestingly, post-purchase support queries were more common than those aimed at discovery or final decision-making, indicating users often turn to AI for help using a product they already own rather than for guidance on what to buy.
The core takeaway is significant for businesses and content strategists. AI assistants are used far more for creation, cognition, and conversation than for commerce. This reality suggests that marketing efforts focused solely on capturing commercial intent within AI chats may be misplaced. The real opportunity lies in providing valuable, assistive content that supports users in their creative, analytical, and planning endeavors, building brand relevance in the spaces where people actually engage with artificial intelligence.
(Source: Search Engine Land)
