Latvia AI Use Rises to 53% of Internet Users

The fastest gains were outside the youngest cohort. While 16- to 24-year-olds remain the most active users at 91.3%, adoption among people aged 45 to 54 jumped to 56.1% from 27%, and among those 35 to 44 to 70.2% from 44.1%. Even internet users aged 55 to 64 saw usage rise to 36.8% from 12.1%, while the 65 to 74 group climbed to 18.4% from 5.7%. That breadth matters because it reduces the risk that AI remains confined to a narrow demographic and increases the likelihood that employers, retailers and public services will face rising expectations for AI-enabled products and interfaces.

The data also point to a more selective and cautious online audience. About 41.8% of internet users still do not use AI, though that is down sharply from 64.9% a year earlier. Among non-users, the biggest reason was simply not needing it in daily life, but a meaningful share cited lack of skills, while smaller groups mentioned data privacy, safety and ethics. At the same time, 26.9% of internet users said they checked the reliability of online information this year, up 6.5 percentage points from 2025, a sign that AI’s spread is coinciding with greater skepticism toward digital content and misinformation.

For investors, the most important read-through is not a direct equity trade in Latvia but a signal on how fast AI adoption is normalizing in Europe. Faster consumer uptake can support demand for cloud services, AI software, cybersecurity tools and connected devices, while also increasing pressure on firms to prove their products are trustworthy and compliant. It also raises the stakes for businesses that rely on digital distribution, online advertising and e-commerce, where AI-assisted search and content generation can change traffic patterns and customer behavior.

The broader technology backdrop remains supportive. Internet use in Latvia has become nearly universal, with 94.3% of residents using it regularly, and smart-device penetration is also rising. Nearly two thirds of residents used internet-of-things devices in the past three months, suggesting a deeper digital ecosystem that can absorb AI tools more quickly than in lower-connected markets.

The risk for companies is that adoption is rising faster than governance. As more users rely on AI for everyday tasks, concerns over privacy, accuracy and manipulation become more material, which could bring stricter regulation and higher compliance costs. The opportunity is that companies able to offer simple, trusted AI products in local languages and familiar workflows may find a growing addressable market as usage moves well beyond the tech-savvy minority.