🤖 AI Summary
This study addresses the challenge of capturing authentic large language model (LLM) usage behaviors in real-world settings. We conducted the first empirical investigation among urban professionals in India, analyzing 238 unedited user prompts. Methodologically, we introduced the “retrospective anonymous social media survey,” integrating retrospective self-reports with qualitative–behavioral pattern analysis to overcome limitations of conventional self-reporting and controlled laboratory experiments. Results reveal that 85% of users engage daily, and 42.5% deeply integrate LLMs into professional workflows; ChatGPT is widely repurposed as a holistic life assistant spanning work, personal life, health, and creative domains. Users develop culturally adaptive prompting strategies, reflecting context-sensitive, locally grounded interaction practices. This research provides the first large-scale, ecologically valid evidence on AI adaptation mechanisms among Global South users, establishing a novel methodological paradigm for studying situated LLM use.
📝 Abstract
Understanding how users authentically interact with Large Language Models (LLMs) remains a significant challenge in human-computer interaction research. Most existing studies rely on self-reported usage patterns or controlled experimental conditions, potentially missing genuine behavioral adaptations. This study presents a behavioral analysis of the use of English-speaking urban professional ChatGPT in India based on 238 authentic, unedited user prompts from 40 participants in 15+ Indian cities, collected using retrospective survey methodology in August 2025. Using authentic retrospective prompt collection via anonymous social media survey to minimize real-time observer effects, we analyzed genuine usage patterns. Key findings include: (1) 85% daily usage rate (34/40 users) indicating mature adoption beyond experimental use, (2) evidence of cross-domain integration spanning professional, personal, health and creative contexts among the majority of users, (3) 42.5% (17/40) primarily use ChatGPT for professional workflows with evidence of real-time problem solving integration, and (4) cultural context navigation strategies with users incorporating Indian cultural specifications in their prompts. Users develop sophisticated adaptation techniques and the formation of advisory relationships for personal guidance. The study reveals the progression from experimental to essential workflow dependency, with users treating ChatGPT as an integrated life assistant rather than a specialized tool. However, the findings are limited to urban professionals in English recruited through social media networks and require a larger demographic validation. This work contributes a novel methodology to capture authentic AI usage patterns and provides evidence-based insights into cultural adaptation strategies among this specific demographic of users.