As we close the chapter on another year, it's natural to reflect on everything that's stormed the internet in the past 12 months - as weird and wonderful as it might have been.
And what better way to do that than with Wikipedia’s annual roundup of its most-viewed pages.
In its years growing into one of the biggest and most-read reference works in history (according to The Economist, not just Wikipedia), the online encyclopedia has become a mirror to society, reflecting our interests, concerns and fascinations.
Advert
So it’s only right to have a look at the year's most-viewed pages, to see what we've all been obsessing over.
Before we unveil this year's champion of Wikipedia, let's take a moment to look back on all the topics that’ve shaped the past year. From the glittering world of cinema to morbid pages memorializing those we've lost, Wikipedia has been our guide through it all.
In a close second place, capturing our attention with 42.7 million views, is the somewhat morbid yet intriguing "Deaths in 2023”. This page, a perennial favorite, chronicles the famous figures who have departed our world - offering a moment of reflection and a chance to revisit their legacies.
Not far behind, with 38.2 million views, is a page that speaks to the heart of sports enthusiasts: "2023 Cricket World Cup" page. Referencing the event that was held in India, it drew in fans worldwide, highlighting the sport's massive global appeal.
Advert
Cricket's charm doesn't end there. The page for the "Indian Premier League" notched up an impressive 32 million views, securing the fourth spot and highlighting the sport's major significance.
Cinematic achievements also made their mark. In fifth place, with 28.4 million views, is the Wikipedia page for "Oppenheimer" - Christopher Nolan's epic portrayal of the man behind the atomic bomb. This film not only got audiences geared up for some action but also sparked renewed interest in the historical figure, with J. Robert Oppenheimer's page drawing 25.7 million views.
So what took the top spot? Claiming first place, with a whopping 49.5 million views, is the page dedicated to none other than ChatGPT.
This artificial intelligence-powered chatbot, launched by OpenAI last year, has not just taken the tech world by storm but has become something of a household name.
Advert
With daily Wikipedia page views ranging between 100,000 and 400,000 in the first half of 2023 alone, it's obvious that the AI platform has left a big impression on 2023.
These are the top 25 most popular articles on Wikipedia this year:
1. ChatGPT, 49,490,406 pageviews
Advert
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
Advert
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