Data from Westpac suggests the number of Australians opting to pay for an artificial intelligence “chatbot” has rocketed over the past three years.
The number of the bank’s customers with subscriptions grew from around 11,000 a month in March 2023 to more than 150,000 a month in March 2026. Westpac said it had handled approximately one million payments for AI subscriptions over the past year.
Westpac Group has around 12.7 million customers across its operations in Australia and New Zealand and is one of the “big four” banks, along with ANZ, NAB, and the Commonwealth Bank. On average, its customers are spending $5.6 million (US$4 million) on AI subscriptions each month.
Over the three-year period, AI uptake rose by 1,284 percent, with growth of 145 percent between 2025 and 2026 alone.
By comparison, subscriptions to the most popular online streaming service paid through Westpac grew by 35 percent in the same period.
According to Carolyn McCann, chief executive of consumer at Westpac, the growth indicates a shift in how people choose to work, learn, and live their lives.
She said AI had become a “practical tool” for many Australians, whether for study, work or managing the household.
The data show that all age groups are seeing rapid growth in AI use, but Millennials are leading the way with the most users. Gen X is growing at the fastest rate (1,680 percent), followed by Millennials (1,205 percent), Gen Z (1,149 percent), and Baby Boomers (786 percent).
“Gen X is leaning in strongly,” McCann said. “They’re experimenting, adapting quickly and seeing immediate value.”
