65% of people and 34% of enterprises use AI
The latest information technology surveys conducted by Statistics Estonia show that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) increased significantly in 2026 compared with the year before. AI use was up both among enterprises and among individuals, with the use of AI tools for private purposes rising by 53%. There was also a rise in the use of internet-connected devices, such as smart TVs and smart watches.
Luisa Nuka, analyst at Statistics Estonia, said that, year on year, the use of artificial intelligence grew 1.4 times among households and 1.5 times among enterprises. “This is probably related to the wider availability of AI-based tools and services and their integration into our daily lives. The use of AI increased the most in age group 65–74, where the share of users grew more than twice,” noted Nuka.
There was also a notable rise in AI use among 35–44-year-olds. “The use of AI did not show such growth among young people, because the share of AI users was already high. Of all age groups, young people still have the highest share of AI users – 90%,” she explained.
Use of AI by age group
| 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| 16–24-year-olds | 82.8 | 89.7 |
| 25–34-year-olds | 70.3 | 86.3 |
| 35–44-year-olds | 57.9 | 81.1 |
| 45–54-year-olds | 41.8 | 65.6 |
| 55–64-year-olds | 22.9 | 48.3 |
| 65–74-year-olds | 8.0 | 18.3 |
The share of people not using AI continues to decline. The main reason for not using AI was that there was no need. Among non-users, only 1.4% said that they did not know that AI existed, which shows that there is a high level of public awareness of artificial intelligence.
The use of AI technologies has also increased among enterprises
Enterprises are increasingly using AI for natural language generation. Compared with 2025, the share of enterprises doing this grew by 11.1 percentage points. The share of enterprises using AI to generate photos and videos was up by 7 percentage points.
“The growing use of AI by people and by enterprises shows that these technologies are more and more common and are being applied in daily life as well as in work processes,” said Nuka.
Internet-connected devices are used more often
The 2026 data show that the use of internet-connected devices has increased significantly compared with 2024. “Their use has grown in each area, suggesting that smart technologies are becoming a natural part of life,” said Nuka.
The most popular internet-connected devices are still smart TVs, smart watches and other wearables, and various internet-connected home appliances. There has been more interest in smart solutions for energy management, such as internet-connected thermostats, utility meters, lights, and other devices for tracking household energy use – their use was up by 28%.
“On the one hand, the prices of smart devices have become more affordable over time, and the devices are easier to use, which supports their more frequent use. On the other hand, people are more aware of the possibilities for energy management, for enhancing security at home and for automating everyday activities,” said Nuka to explain the rise in the popularity of these devices.
Devices related to health and wellness have also become much more common. Compared with 2024, there has been a 14% rise in the use of smart watches, fitness trackers and other wearable devices for tracking the level of physical activity. There also internet-connected devices for monitoring blood pressure, sugar levels or body weight, for example. “These devices are used by more and more people, as the society is ageing and people are more focused on their health,” noted Nuka.
Compared with 2024, the biggest increase was recorded in the use of cars with a built-in wireless internet connection – up by 36%. At the same time, there has been a decrease in the share of people who have not used any internet-connected devices.
Number of users of internet-connected devices
| 2024 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Thermostat, utility meter, lights, plug-ins or other solutions for energy management for the home | 164,000 | 209,100 |
| Home alarm system, smoke detector, security cameras, smart locks or other security solutions for the home | 178,100 | 202,900 |
| Home appliance (e.g. robotic lawn mower, robotic vacuum, fridge, oven, coffee machine, gardening or irrigation tools) | 207,000 | 258,500 |
| Voice-activated virtual assistant (e.g. Google Assistant, Alexa, Siri, Cortana, Bixby, etc.) | 80,700 | 99,300 |
| Smart TV | 528,500 | 588,300 |
| Internet-connected game console | 151,000 | 155,500 |
| Internet-connected home audio system, smart speakers (e.g. for smart phone via Bluetooth) | 255,400 | 317,700 |
| Smart watch, fitness tracker, wireless headphones, smart glasses, safety trackers, internet-connected accessories, clothes or shoes | 492,400 | 563,700 |
| Internet-connected devices for monitoring blood pressure, sugar level, body weight, and other devices for health and medical care | 57,400 | 68,600 |
| Toys connected to the internet (robots, dolls, drones) | 30,400 | 33,800 |
| Cars with a built-in wireless internet connection | 127,200 | 173,400 |
| Have used the Internet of Things (IoT) | 747,400 | 797,600 |
| Have not used any internet-connected devices | 534,100 | 499,400 |
The use of personal data protection measures has remained the same
Compared with 2025, the use of various privacy and data protection measures has remained mostly the same. There was a slight increase in the share of people who did not allow using their personal data for advertising purposes – up by 12% from 2025.
There are notable differences between age groups in terms of their awareness of data protection measures. Only 14% of 65–74-year-olds had restricted or refused access to their geographical location. The corresponding share was 69% in age group 16–24 and 63% in age group 35–44. In the younger age groups, there were also much more of those who refused allowing the use of personal data for advertising purposes: this share was 63.7% in age group 16–24 and 64.5% in age group 35–44 but only 20.6% in age group 65–74.
According to the analyst, younger people are more tech-savvy and more active internet users, which explains their greater awareness of privacy and data protection. “More frequent use of various digital services and apps increases awareness of privacy-related risks as well as of the ways to protect your personal data,” she noted.
Cybersecurity is a priority for enterprises
Enterprises are paying more attention to security measures in order to protect their data and prevent security incidents. The information and communication technology (ICT) security measures that enterprises use most often are data backup (backing up data to a separate location) and two-factor user authentication. ICT risk assessments are used much less often than technical security measures. “This indicates that enterprises are more focused on immediate protection and not so much on systematic risk assessment and prevention,” explained Nuka.
The use of ICT by persons aged 16–74, households and enterprises is studied by statistical offices in all European Union countries according to a harmonised methodology. Statistics Estonia conducts the survey on the use of ICT in households and by 16–74-year-olds annually in the second quarter.
Statistics Estonia has studied the use of ICT in enterprises since 2001. The 2025 survey included 3,400 enterprises. Enterprises with 10 or more employees are surveyed. The survey is conducted simultaneously in all European Union Member States using the same methodology. Eurostat will publish the data for Member States at the end of this year.
Data as at 16 September 2026 are published. The indicator values may change if there are any revisions made in the data sources after this date.
See also the dedicated section on information and communication technologies.
More detailed data have been published in the statistical database.
When using Statistics Estonia’s data and graphs, please indicate the source.
For further information:
Annaliisa Köss
Media Relations Partner
Marketing and Dissemination Department
Statistics Estonia
Tel +372 5696 6484
press [at] stat.ee