As we are moving into the end of 2023, Wikimedia, the parent company of Wikipedia, has unveiled the most searched and most read articles of the year. Notably, the list includes various Indian topics, reflecting diverse interests. The top-ranking Wikipedia article of the year is centered around viral AI chatbot ChatGPT, suggesting a substantial interest in this AI language model. Wikipedia registered more than 84 billion page views so far, says a report by CNN, citing data from Wikimedia Foundation.
Witnessing a significant spike in popularity, the Wikipedia page for OpenAI's virtual chatbot, ChatGPT, claimed the top spot as the most viewed page this year, garnering over 49.4 million page views. ChatGPT hit a milestone in February with the fastest-growing user base, reaching 100 million active users in January. This surge has prompted other tech companies to invest billions in developing competing generative AI technology.
Additionally, tech firms are investing in semiconductor chips that can drive future AI innovations, influencing geopolitical dynamics among major global powers.
As mentioned, aeading the chart is OpenAI's ChatGPT, a technology extensively embraced in schools, healthcare, law, media, IT, and various sectors. The second most sought-after article delved into the number of deaths in 2023, while the 2023 Cricket World Cup and the Indian Premier League (IPL)secured the third and fourth positions, respectively. Noteworthy mentions include Cillian Murphy’s Oppenheimer and Shahrukh Khan’s Jawan, claiming other top spots in the list.
The influence of Indian and Southeast Asian audiences was substantial on the 2023 list, with a significant 20 per cent of the content originating from this region and specifically from India.
Shahrukh Khan's popularity is evident as two of his films, Jawan and Pathaan, claimed spots in Wikipedia's top 10 list this year. On November 8 and 9, these movies garnered significant attention, accumulating a remarkable 110.7 million page views on the platform, around their release dates.
The list primarily featured influential figures from sports, entertainment, and business. Taylor Swift, Elon Musk, and Lionel Messi, prominent figures in their respective fields, dominated the headlines, as reflected in the frequent visits to their Wikipedia pages.
“It’s clear that people wanted to better understand the history and the context behind ChatGPT’s technology as they experimented with it,” Anusha Alikhan, chief communications officer at the Wikimedia Foundation, was quoted as saying by CNN.