Student Life

ChatGPT’s rise to become the face of the AI industry

Hashi Lucksanapirak and Serena Saliba

May 18, 2026

As represented in a survey of Green Hope staff and students, ChatGPT is the most well-known chatbot in the AI realm.

When teachers at Green Hope High School say “AI” or artificial intelligence, teachers and students think about ChatGPT.

A survey of students and teachers at Green Hope High School highlights the grip OpenAI’s flagship program has on the public perspective. When the GH Falcon asked what first comes to mind when an administrator, teacher or anyone says the word “AI” 84% of students or teachers answered ChatGPT. Only four people answered Google’s Gemini. Furthermore, 100% of those surveyed said they were familiar with ChatGPT, doing performing better in publicity than platforms like Claude, Grok and Deepseek.

This trend says a lot about a massive corporate market cap. OpenAI recently finalized a funding deal, closing at $122 billion (https://openai.com/index/accelerating-the-next-phase-ai/) in committed capital at a post-money valuation of $852 billion. The company reported that it now generates $2 billion in revenue per month, growing 4x times faster than the early expansion periods like Alphabet and Meta.

ChatGPT was the most well-known AI program across surveyed Green Hope students and teachers. (Hashi Lucksanapirak)

Yet, while ChatGPT is a more notable face for the industry, like a Band-Aid or Kleenex may be for their respective industries, a look at the data shows that brand dominance does not always equal loyalty.

Despite ChatGPT owning the public’s view at Green Hope, a twist occurred when respondents were asked which AI agent they actually preferred to use. Gemini secured 60.9% of votes of preference, compared to just 34.8% for ChatGPT and 4.3% for Claude .

Despite ChatGPT’s popularity, Gemini is the preferred agent for student use at Green Hope. (Hashi Lucksanapirak)

This school population’s view and options is tied to rule shifts within the school district. The Wake County Public School System blocked user access to ChatGPT, leaving students searching for another chatbot. While the district puts up restrictions on ChatGPT over data protection and academic integrity issues, it allows the use of Google’s Gemini, which goes along with the school google education system.

For now, OpenAI has the financial capital and the public’s crown. Whether a student is drafting an essay outline or a teacher is generating a lesson plan, “using ChatGPT” has cemented itself as the common word on AI in the digital age.

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About the Contributors

Hashi Lucksanapirak, Social Media Manager

Hashi is a freshman at Green Hope High School. He lives with his mom, younger brother and younger sister. He likes to listen to music, read articles and likes working with digital things. He joined the GH Falcon staff because he feels like he can make an impact on the school. Hashi is originally from Thailand, but moved to North Carolina last year. His biggest achievement was made last year when he competed in a history competition and created a documentary that made it all the way to nationals. His favorite foods are fried chicken and burgers and his favorite color is blue. He is excited to write for and contribute to the social media of the GH Falcon this year.

Serena Saliba, Staff Writer

Dedicated friend, peer, sister and daughter, Serena Saliba is a freshman who entered her first year with the GH Falcon staff with excitement and passion. She is committed to her learning and values academic integrity and personal growth. She always looks for the positive, adapts when plans change and takes risks to challenge herself. Outside of school, she is often found playing tennis, cuddling with her dog or volunteering at local businesses and schools. Serena sees things in a different light than most, finding joy in writing about events from a new perspective. Her passion for journaling came at an early age, after she wrote her first news article in third grade. Describing herself as “caring, driven and curious,” Serena reflects these qualities within her work and daily life. As she continues to grow, she hopes to bring a positive, lasting impact on the Falcon community.