Wikipedia’s recently released list of the top 25 most-viewed pages in 2023 showcases the world’s fascination with artificial intelligence, notable deaths, and the increasing impact of Indian users on the platform.
OpenAI’s virtual chatbot, ChatGPT, claimed the top spot with over 49.4 million page views, underscoring the surge in interest in AI technology. Anusha Alikhan, Chief Communications Officer at the Wikimedia Foundation, emphasised the role of Wikipedia in understanding ChatGPT’s history and context.
Biographical posts about individuals who passed away in 2023, the 2023 Cricket World Cup, the Indian Premier League, and the movie “Oppenheimer” rounded out the top five.
The significant representation of Indian and Southeast Asian media reflects the growing influence of this region, with India poised to surpass China as the most populated country.
Alikhan highlighted the rich media environment and information technology sector in India, contributing to the country’s impact on global media.
Cricket-related articles made their debut in Wikipedia’s top 25, with the 2023 Cricket World Cup and the Indian Premier League securing prominent positions.
Additionally, Bollywood films “Jawan” and “Pathaan” outperformed highly-grossing American films like “Barbie” and “Avatar: The Way of Water” in terms of page views.
In the realm of influential figures, Taylor Swift, Elon Musk, and Lionel Messi garnered significant attention. Swift’s music, Musk’s controversial endeavours, and Messi’s debut as captain for Major League Soccer club Inter Miami contributed to the high viewership of their Wikipedia pages.
The list also touched on sensitive topics, with events like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Andrew Tate, a controversial figure indicted for rape and human trafficking, making appearances.
Alikhan noted that Wikipedia continues to play a crucial role in training large language models, emphasising its nonprofit status and commitment to user privacy.
The full list of Wikipedia’s top 25 most-viewed pages for 2023 is available below:
1. ChatGPT, 49,490,406 page views
2. Deaths in 2023, 42,666,860
3. 2023 Cricket World Cup, 38,171,653
4. Indian Premier League, 32,012,810
5. Oppenheimer (film), 28,348,248
6. Cricket World Cup, 25,961,417
7. J. Robert Oppenheimer, 25,672,469
8. Jawan (film), 21,791,126
9. 2023 Indian Premier League, 20,694,974
10. Pathaan (film), 19,932,509
11. The Last of Us (TV series), 19,791,789
12. Taylor Swift, 19,418,385
13. Barbie (film), 18,051,077
14. Cristiano Ronaldo, 17,492,537
15. Lionel Messi, 16,623,630
16. Premier League, 16,604,669
17. Matthew Perry, 16,454,666
18. United States, 16,240,461
19. Elon Musk, 14,370,395
20. Avatar: The Way of Water, 14,303,116
21. India, 13,850,178
22. Lisa Marie Presley, 13,764,007
23. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, 13,392,917
24. Russian invasion of Ukraine, 12,798,866
25. Andrew Tate, 12,728,616
