Users of different AI services differ significantly in terms of income: Claude’s audience is noticeably «wealthy,» while Meta AI has a much more mixed and less affluent user base, according to a study by Epoch AI and Ipsos, based on three waves of surveys in the US in March-April 2026.
Users of different AI services differ significantly in terms of income: Claude’s audience is noticeably «wealthy,» while Meta AI has a much more mixed and less affluent user base, according to a study by Epoch AI and Ipsos, based on three waves of surveys in the US in March-April 2026.
According to the study, 80% of Claude users live in households with an annual income of over $100,000. This compares to 37% of Meta AI users, while the average U.S. adult is about 50% in this income bracket. Meanwhile, 32% of Meta AI users live in households with an income of less than $50,000, compared to just 7% of Claude users and about 24% of the general U.S. population.
Other major players in the market demonstrate a more even distribution of their audience. In particular, among ChatGPT users, the share of households with an income of over $100,000 is about 60%, Microsoft Copilot — about 64%, Google Gemini — about 56%, and Grok — also about 56%.
Researchers from Epoch AI and Ipsos note that the survey was conducted among about 5,000 respondents in three waves and covered the US adult population. Participants could indicate the use of multiple AI services at the same time, so the audiences of different products overlap. The data was weighted to ensure representativeness, and income levels were compared with official Census statistics.
The study authors do not draw direct conclusions about the reasons for this difference, but the structure of the data suggests the influence of product positioning. Claude is more often used for tasks related to programming, analytics and professional work, which naturally correlates with higher income levels of users. In contrast, Meta AI is integrated into Meta’s mainstream products, which provides a broader reach of audiences from different socio-economic groups.
The study also highlights that the AI services market is gradually segmenting not only by functionality, but also by user profile, which may influence further monetization models and product development in different segments.
