Wikipedia, overseen by the nonprofit Wikimedia Foundation, has released its list of the 25 most viewed pages in 2023. The data reveals the world’s fascination with artificial intelligence (AI) innovation, individuals who made significant contributions and passed away in 2023, and the expanding influence of Indian users on the platform.
With more than 84 billion page views in 2023, Wikipedia has experienced a significant surge in popularity. Topping the list as the most viewed page this year is the entry about OpenAI’s virtual chatbot, ChatGPT, accumulating over 49.4 million page views. ChatGPT gained attention for its record-breaking growth, achieving 100 million active users in January, setting the pace in the competitive field of generative AI technology. Several tech companies have invested billions in developing rival AI technology, including semiconductor chips that can power future AI innovations, impacting geopolitical dynamics among major global powers.
Anusha Alikhan, Chief Communications Officer at the Wikimedia Foundation, explained that people sought to gain a deeper understanding of ChatGPT’s technology as they experimented with it. Notably, ChatGPT is trained using Wikipedia data, leveraging Wikimedia projects to respond to users’ queries and prompts. Wikipedia data and text, curated by human users and editors, play a pivotal role in shaping the chatbot’s responses.
Alikhan highlighted Wikipedia’s essential role in training nearly every major language model and emphasized the foundation’s nonprofit status, clarifying that they do not charge OpenAI for content usage. This status also ensures that Wikipedia remains ad-free and does not track users’ private information.
The top five most viewed pages in 2023, alongside ChatGPT, include biographical entries for individuals who passed away during the year, the 2023 Cricket World Cup, the Indian Premier League (a cricket league), and the film “Oppenheimer.”
The list for 2023 prominently features India and Southeast Asian audiences, with one-fifth of the entries originating from this region. India, in particular, made a significant impact, driven by its rich media landscape and thriving information technology sector. Alikhan noted that India ranks third globally in terms of active English Wikipedia volunteer editors, behind only the United States and the United Kingdom. As India’s population is expected to surpass China’s, its influence on global media is on the rise, while China continues to block access to Wikipedia within its borders.
The top-viewed Wikipedia pages for 2023 reflect the world’s curiosity about AI advancements, appreciation for notable figures, and the growing prominence of India in global digital spaces.