The digital divide in society

With the spread of applications based on artificial intelligence (AI), the digitalization of society has reached a new level. A representative survey conducted by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung examines how AI is perceived and evaluated by the general population.

Some of the results:

• Just over half (59 percent) say they have already used translation with AI. Slightly fewer (43 percent) posed a question to an AI, for example ChatGPT.
• Deliberate contact with AI is very unevenly distributed according to age and education. At 17 percent, the elerly (aged 60 and over) are significantly less likely to have asked an AI a question than the youngest age group between 18 and 29, 80 percent of whom have already posed a question to an AI. There is a similar difference between people with high and low formal education.
• In terms of attitudes, the border between digitalization and AI is fluid. Overall, a picture of cautious openness towards technology, digitalization and AI emerges. There is neither significant euphoria nor major fears or concerns.
• A majority of 59 percent believe that digitalization makes our work easier. In particular, technology is associated with the hope for help in old age (55 percent). For 26 percent, developments in AI are linked to fear, while the figure for digitalization is only slightly lower at 21 percent.
• Attitudes towards digitalization have remained stable since 2021.
• There are also very clear differences in attitudes according to age and level of education. Of those with high formal education, 73 percent believe that digitalization makes our work easier, but only 48 percent of those with low formal education.

Overall, large sections of the population do not appear to have had any concrete experience with AI. However, this does not apply to the young. Almost all of them have already tried out various AI applications. Attitudes towards digitalization and AI are also strongly dependent on age and educational attainment. A significantly higher proportion of younger people and people with higher formal education have already encountered an AI application and their attitudes towards digitalization and AI are much more positive. 

Find the entire study "The digital divide in society" here as a PDF.
Please note, to date the study is only available in German.