Text size: Watch Exo WorkNeed help?

AI And The Over-50s: The Real Numbers

Four in ten Americans aged 50 to 64 have now used an AI chatbot such as ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot, up from a quarter two years earlier. Among the over-65s it is about one in four. So if you haven't tried one yet, you are not the last person on Earth. You are also not as far behind as the adverts suggest.

Figures checked 26 October 2026 on the Pew Research Center, AARP and Ofcom pages listed under Sources.

Quick Steps

  1. 42% of Americans aged 50 to 64 have used an AI chatbot (Pew, 2026).
  2. 23% of Americans 65 and over have (Pew, 2026).
  3. 30% of US adults 50-plus used AI in 2025 (AARP).
  4. 54% of UK adults use AI tools (Ofcom, 2026).

How Many Older Americans Use AI Chatbots?

Pew Research Center asked 5,119 US adults in February 2026 whether they ever use AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot. It published the results on 17 June 2026.

Share of US adults who ever use AI chatbots, by age, 2024 and 2026 (Pew Research Center)
Age20242026
18 to 2955%66%
30 to 4941%61%
50 to 6425%42%
65 and over12%23%
All US adults33%49%

Pew asked the 2024 question slightly differently, and only of people who had heard of chatbots, so treat the change as a rough guide.

Use roughly doubled among the over-65s in two years. Younger people still use chatbots more, but the gap is closing from the top down rather than the bottom up.

How Often Do People Over 50 Use Them?

Not every day, mostly. Pew found 19% of people aged 50 to 64 use a chatbot daily, and 7% of the over-65s. For adults under 50 it is about a third.

That suits most people fine. A chatbot is handy for the odd letter, a confusing bill or a recipe that needs rescuing. Nobody is checking your attendance.

Which Chatbots Do Older Americans Use?

ChatGPT is the most used in every age group, according to Pew:

  • Aged 50 to 64: ChatGPT 37%, Gemini 20%, Copilot 19%, Meta AI 13%.
  • Aged 65 and over: ChatGPT 19%, Gemini 11%, Copilot 10%, Meta AI 10%.

Not sure which to try? Our ChatGPT vs Gemini vs Claude comparison explains the differences, and all of them have a free version.

What Do People Over 50 Use AI For?

Mostly looking things up. Pew's figures for people aged 50 to 64, then 65 and over:

  • Searching for information: 37% and 20%.
  • Fun or entertainment: 20% and 7%.
  • Medical advice: 17% and 11%.
  • Getting news: 13% and 8%.

If you use it for health questions, read our guide to using AI for health questions safely first. A chatbot can help you prepare for an appointment. It is not the appointment.

Do Older People Feel Confident Using AI?

Not especially. Pew found 12% of 50 to 64 year olds feel extremely or very confident using chatbots, and 6% of the over-65s. Among the under-30s it is 31%, so nobody is exactly brimming with it.

Older Americans are also more unsure about what AI will do. 29% of the over-65s told Pew they are not sure whether AI's impact on them personally will be good or bad. That is a reasonable answer to a reasonable question.

What Does AARP's Research Show?

AARP surveyed 3,838 US adults between 9 September and 6 October 2025 for its 2026 Tech Trends report. Among adults aged 50 and over:

  • AI use nearly doubled, from 18% in 2024 to 30% in 2025.
  • 19% use an AI platform such as ChatGPT or Copilot, 21% are interested and 59% are not interested.
  • 90% own a smartphone, up from 55% in 2016.
  • Three in five say technology is not designed with their age in mind.
  • About half of those holding back from new tech, including AI, cite trust, privacy and data security.

AARP and Pew asked different questions, so their numbers don't match exactly. They point the same way: more people over 50 are trying AI every year, and privacy is the main worry. Our guide Is ChatGPT safe? covers what it keeps and how to switch that off.

What About The UK?

Ofcom's Adults' Media Use and Attitudes research, published on 2 April 2026, surveyed 7,533 UK adults aged 16 and over between September and November 2025. It found:

  • 54% of UK adults use AI tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot or Gemini.
  • Use is highest among the young: 79% of 16 to 24s and 74% of 25 to 34s.
  • 82% of online adults said they would respond safely to a scam email, down from 88% in 2022.

Ofcom's public summary does not give a single figure for the over-50s, so we haven't made one up. The pattern matches the USA: older adults use AI less, and more of them are starting.

What Should I Take From This?

Three things:

  • You are in good company. Millions of people your age have tried a chatbot, and plenty of them started last year.
  • Being careful is sensible, not old-fashioned. Privacy is the top worry in AARP's research, and it should be.
  • Start small. Ask it to explain a letter or plan a day out. Our AI Starter Guide and the best free AI apps for seniors are good places to begin.

Watch out for scams that use AI, too. Our voice cloning scams guide shows what to look for.

Common Questions

How many people over 50 use AI?

In the USA, Pew Research Center found 42% of adults aged 50 to 64 and 23% of those 65 and over had used an AI chatbot in February 2026. AARP found 30% of adults 50-plus used AI in 2025.

Is AI only for young people?

No. Younger adults use it more, but use among people aged 50 to 64 rose from 25% to 42% between 2024 and 2026, according to Pew.

Which AI chatbot do older adults use most?

ChatGPT. Pew found 37% of 50 to 64 year olds and 19% of the over-65s use it, ahead of Gemini, Copilot and Meta AI.

How many UK adults use AI?

Ofcom found 54% of UK adults use AI tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot or Gemini, in research published on 2 April 2026.

What worries older people most about AI?

Trust, privacy and data security. AARP found about half of adults 50-plus who hold back from new tech, including AI, give those reasons.

New to all this? Our free AI Starter Guide walks you through the basics, and you can print it.

Sources

Last checked 26 October 2026.

Read Next

Also useful: AI and jobs: what the evidence shows · Our beginner's guide to ChatGPT

Updated 26 October 2026