Wikipedia just dropped the top 25 most-viewed pages for 2023, and they spill the beans on what the world’s really into right now. It’s all about AI, people who passed away this year, and the growing power of Indian users shaping what’s trending.
Wikipedia’s Big Numbers
Wikipedia’s been a popular haunt, racking up a whopping 84 billion views this year. And guess what? The top dog on the page-view list is OpenAI’s chatbot, ChatGPT, clocking over 49.4 million views! This AI superstar hit a record earlier in the year by snagging 100 million active users in January. Other tech big shots are also pumping loads of cash into similar AI tech, like chips that could power up futuristic AI innovations and even impact relationships between major countries.
Why the ChatGPT Craze?
According to Anusha Alikhan from the Wikimedia Foundation, people were curious about the history and the behind-the-scenes story of ChatGPT’s tech. This chatbot is trained using data from Wikipedia, so when you chat with it, the info it spits out is based on what it learned from Wikipedia. Wikipedia’s data is a huge part of how the chatbot works.
Wikipedia’s Role in AI
Alikhan mentions that Wikipedia is like the secret sauce in training most of these big language models. And hey, because Wikimedia is a non-profit, they don’t charge OpenAI for using their content. That’s also why there are no ads or tracking of user data.
The Top Contenders
Besides ChatGPT, what else made the cut? Biographies of people who passed away in 2023 were up there. Also, cricket fever hit the list hard with the 2023 Cricket World Cup and the Indian Premier League snagging spots in the top five. Plus, the movie “Oppenheimer” made waves.
India’s Impact
India and Southeast Asia made a splash on the list too. About a fifth of the top 25 came from that part of the world, showing the growing influence of India, especially in media and tech. India’s got a rich tech scene and a bunch of Wikipedia editors too, ranking just behind the US and UK in editor numbers.
India’s Internet Influence
India’s got major clout online, and it’s no surprise considering its massive population. It’s even expected to outdo China in population soon. But fun fact: China blocks Wikipedia from its internet.
Cricket Takes the CakeCricket, already a huge deal in India, ruled the roost this year. The 2023 Cricket World Cup had fans clicking, especially when India clinched the runner-up spot. Virat Kohli, a big name in cricket, snagged the Player of the Series title, sending fans flocking to Wikipedia for more, hitting over 38 million views.
Bollywood’s Magic
Two action films from Bollywood, “Jawan” and “Pathaan,” strutted into the top 25, outdoing big American films like “Barbie” and “Avatar: The Way of Water.” Even though “Barbie” raked in over $1.4 billion at the box office, “Oppenheimer” got more love on Wikipedia.
So, there you have it – Wikipedia’s 2023 hit list reflects a mix of AI craze, cricket fever, Bollywood magic, and India’s rising online influence, showing what the world can’t get enough of this year!