School Is Back And So Is ChatGPT

(Image credit: Shutterstock/Azulblue)

The summer slowdown for AI is officially over. With schools back in session across the West, ChatGPT has seen a massive traffic surge, climbing back to record levels of activity. This predictable pattern confirms what many have long suspected: students are a primary driving force behind the daily use of OpenAI's popular chatbot.

The Academic Effect A Tale of Peaks and Valleys

According to new data from OpenRouter, which tracks AI model usage, September 18 saw ChatGPT activity soar to 78.3 billion tokens. This peak marks a significant rebound after a quiet summer.

To put this in perspective, usage during the school holidays in June 2025 dropped to a daily average of just 36.7 billion tokens. That’s a sharp contrast to May 2025, when exam pressures and final projects pushed the daily average to nearly 80 billion tokens.

(Image credit: OpenRouter)

This clear cycle of peaks during the academic year and lulls during breaks highlights the deep connection between educational schedules and AI interaction.

Students The Driving Force Behind AI Adoption

While OpenRouter's data comes from its own platform of 2.5 million users, it has become a trusted resource for tracking LLM adoption trends. The numbers make it evident that students account for a substantial portion of ChatGPT's daily traffic.

This observation is backed by other research. As reported by Futurism, previous studies from institutions like Rutgers University have also found strong links between academic calendars and AI usage spikes. A quick look at OpenRouter’s interactive data confirms this trend, with clear dips corresponding to spring and summer breaks.

Interestingly, among the various models, ChatGPT 4.1 Mini was the most popular, generating 26.9 billion tokens on September 18. This outpaced even the newly launched GPT-5, which registered 18.7 billion tokens on the same day.

The Bigger Picture AI in Education

The data solidifies the fact that AI tools are becoming deeply integrated into the educational landscape. Students are actively using chatbots like ChatGPT for writing assistance, research, and general study support.

This integration isn't necessarily negative. Many educators and researchers recognize the value in teaching students how to work with these systems responsibly. As with any transformative technology, younger generations are leading the charge in embracing AI as a part of their daily routine.

The ongoing debate has shifted from whether students should use AI to how it can be guided and balanced to support learning instead of replacing it. The challenge now is to foster an environment where AI enhances education, promotes critical thinking, and prepares students for a future where collaboration with intelligent systems is the norm.