• Journal of Internet Computing and Services
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.79-92
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• 2024

ChatGPT, as a representative chatbot leveraging generative artificial intelligence technology, is used valuable not only in scientific and technological domains but also across diverse sectors such as society, economy, industry, and culture. This study conducts an explorative analysis of user sentiments and needs for ChatGPT by examining global social media discourse on Reddit. We collected 10,796 comments on Reddit from December 2022 to August 2023 and then employed keyword analysis, sentiment analysis, and need-mining-based topic modeling to derive insights. The analysis reveals several key findings. The most frequently mentioned term in ChatGPT-related comments is "time," indicative of users' emphasis on prompt responses, time efficiency, and enhanced productivity. Users express sentiments of trust and anticipation in ChatGPT, yet simultaneously articulate concerns and frustrations regarding its societal impact, including fears and anger. In addition, the topic modeling analysis identifies 14 topics, shedding light on potential user needs. Notably, users exhibit a keen interest in the educational applications of ChatGPT and its societal implications. Moreover, our investigation uncovers various user-driven topics related to ChatGPT, encompassing language models, jobs, information retrieval, healthcare applications, services, gaming, regulations, energy, and ethical concerns. In conclusion, this analysis provides insights into user perspectives, emphasizing the significance of understanding and addressing user needs. The identified application directions offer valuable guidance for enhancing existing products and services or planning the development of new service platforms.