PARIS, 30 Jan. - (ANA) - According to new data, more than one-third of individuals across the OECD used generative AI tools in 2025, although uptake remains uneven across different population groups. The largest divide is by age, with a gap of 53.6 percentage points. 

 

In contrast, the gender gap in AI use is relatively small, at just 4.2 percentage points.

 

The largest divide is by age, with a gap of 53.6 percentage points, while differences by educational attainment and income level are also significant, both at around 21 percentage points. In contrast, the gender gap in AI use is relatively small, at 4.2 percentage points. 

 

Usage is particularly high among students, with three-quarters of students aged 16 and over reporting use of generative AI tools. Adoption is also widespread among those connected to the labour market, including people in employment (41.1%) and those unemployed (36.7%). In contrast, retired and other inactive groups report much lower usage, at 12.5%. 

 

Alongside rising use by individuals, AI adoption by firms has continued to expand across OECD countries where data are available. In 2025, 20.2% of firms reported using AI, up from 14.2% in 2024 and 8.7% in 2023, meaning adoption has more than doubled over the past two years. Growth in firm-level AI use reached 42.4% in 2025, though this represents a moderation compared to earlier years. 

 

AI uptake has surpassed 35% in several Nordic countries, including Denmark, Finland and Sweden. Adoption remains highly uneven across firms of different sizes: 52.0% of large firms use AI, compared with 17.4% of small firms. The spread of general-purpose generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT and Copilot, widely available since 2024, may have contributed to this increase. 

 

In 2025, 57.3% of ICT firms across the OECD used AI, the highest share of any industry, followed by professional and scientific services (36.8%). In some countries, AI use in the ICT sector has reached near-saturation levels, including Sweden (87.9%), Austria (79.9%) and Finland (79.8%), leaving limited scope for further expansion. 

 

By contrast, growth in AI use remained particularly strong in industries that previously lagged behind. Year-on-year growth reached 62.5% in accommodation and food services, and 59.1% in construction. Other industries also recorded positive, though more moderate, growth rates ranging from 25.8% to 51.7%.  - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/30 January 2026 - - -