One-third of the resident population of Latvia already uses artificial intelligence — young people are the most frequent users

According to the annual survey on use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in households carried out by the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB), the digital environment in Latvia continues to develop – an increasing number of residents use electronic identification (88.9 %) and artificial intelligence (35.1 %), and one in five (20.1 %) evaluates and verifies information available online. 

Statistical data show that in 2025, 35.1 % of internet users in Latvia had used artificial intelligence (AI). AI was primarily used for personal purposes (28.0 %), 15.5 % of residents reported using AI for work, and 8.2 % applied AI in the educational process. Males used AI slightly more actively than females – 3.7 percentage points more (males – 37.1 % and females – 33.4 %).

The most active AI users are individuals in the 16–24 age group – 72.7 % use AI, both for personal purposes (54.6 %) and for studies (42.4 %). Statistical data show that the frequency of AI use decreases among elderly internet user groups; however, 12.1 % of residents (55–64 years) and 5.7 % of seniors (65–74 years) use AI tools. 

More than eight out of ten pupils and students (85.5 %) use AI — most actively in the learning process (63.0 %) and for personal purposes (58.6 %). Employed persons used AI slightly more actively than unemployed ones (employed – 37.0 % and unemployed – 31.8 %), with AI being used most actively for work and professional purposes (20.2 %). 

The most active AI users are residents of the Riga region (42.5 %), who use AI for personal purposes (34.4 %), professional (work) purposes (20.5 %), and studies (9.8 %). In terms of AI usage activity, the Riga region is followed by internet users in Zemgale – 31.0 %, Vidzeme – 28.1 %, Kurzeme – 27.5 %, and slightly fewer in Latgale – 26.4 %.

Out of 64.9 % of internet users in Latvia who do not currently use artificial intelligence, 42.3 % mention lack of need to use AI in daily life as the main reason, 11.9 % – lack of knowledge and skills to use it, and 7.0 % stated that they were not aware of such technology at all. Only a small share (1.8 %) indicated that they avoid using AI due to data security and privacy concerns.

Electronic identification has become a part of everyday life for almost 90 % of internet users in Latvia

Electronic identification (eID) in Latvia has become an integral part of the digital environment, providing secure and convenient online verification of personal identity. According to the survey data for 2025, the use of eID in Latvia is very widespread – 88.9 % of internet users have used it in the past 12 months. 80.3 % of internet users have used eID to access private sector services, while 71.5 % have used it for municipal, state, and public services. 

There are no significant gender differences in eID usage – 90.1 % of females and 87.6 % of males reported using eID in the past 12 months; 73.7 % of females and 69.1 % of males used state and municipal e-services, and 80.5 % of females and 80 % of males used private sector services. 

eID is used most actively by the younger generation – 95.3 % of those aged 25 to 34 years use it, while usage is less widespread in older age groups. Among employed persons, 93.8 % use eID, highlighting the importance of this tool both at work and for accessing everyday services.

One in five internet users in Latvia (20 %) verifies the accuracy of information online

Today, the internet is the primary source of information for most of society; however, alongside its widespread availability, the volume of false, misleading, or unverified information is also increasing. Therefore, the ability of users to critically assess online content becomes especially important – to distinguish reliable sources from doubtful ones, verify facts, and avoid spreading misinformation. The results of the survey 2025 show that one in five, or 20.1 %, of internet users have verified the accuracy of information (21.5 % of males, 18.8 % of females). This is most often done by evaluating the source of the information or searching for additional information (18.2 %), as well as by consulting with others or using alternative sources (6.2 %). A small part (3.7 %) have verified information by participating in or following online discussions.

Statistical data show that younger residents verify information more frequently – 30.9 % of those aged 16–24 and 29.9 % of those aged 25–34 check whether the information they see online is accurate. In contrast, among elderly residents (65–74 years), only 8.2 % of users verify the accuracy of information.

he data show that verifying information is more common among residents with higher education (26.6 %). It is interesting that residents with primary education or lower (17.8 %) verify the reliability of information more often than those with secondary education (15.6 %). This can be explained by the fact that this group also includes young people who are still studying and are generally more digitally active.

Analysing the data by region, it is evident that internet users in the Riga region approach online information more critically than in other regions of Latvia – 25.6 % of users verify the accuracy of information, and 23.9 % assess the reliability of sources. In other regions of Latvia, a similar share of internet users verify the accuracy of information online, with higher rates in Latgale (18.2 %), followed by Kurzeme – 14.7 %, Vidzeme – 13.7 %, and Zemgale – 13.3 %.

One-third of internet users (29.2 %) encounter offensive content online

In the digital environment, residents increasingly encounter various negative phenomena, including offensive, humiliating, or aggressive content. Such cases may include verbal insults, threats, hostile comments, or other emotionally harmful behaviour online. In 2025, one-third (29.2 %) of internet users in Latvia encountered offensive or aggressive content online. Most often, such content was related to political or social views (23.9 %), followed by race or ethnic background (11.5 %) and belonging to the LGBTIQ+ community (9.2 %). Offensive content was comparatively less often directed at gender (5.8 %), religion or belief (5.7 %), age (3.7 %), and disability (3.0 %).

The results of the survey 2025 show that internet use has become universal – 93.6 % of Latvia’s residents use it regularly, with particularly rapid growth among elderly age groups. While nearly all individuals aged 16–44 use the internet (over 97 %), 89.7 % of those aged 55–64 use it, and 77.8 % of those aged 65–74, representing more than a twofold increase over the past decade. At the same time, online shopping is also increasing – 75.2 % of Latvia’s residents have made purchases online, and more than half (54.1 %) do so on a regular basis. The most active purchasers are residents aged 25–34 (72.2 %), while activity decreases with age, even seniors are increasingly using online shopping. These data indicate that the digital environment is becoming increasingly inclusive, encompassing both younger and older generations. 

Methodological information

The ICT survey was prepared in accordance with the methodology developed by the statistical office of the European Union (Eurostat), and the information obtained is comparable with that of other EU countries. As part of the ICT survey, 5 237 residents aged 16–74 were interviewed in the first half of 2025. More detailed information on the results of the “Use of Internet in 2025” survey and its methodology is available on the official statistics portal in the section Information Technologies: ICT in households”.

¹ Artificial intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science that creates systems and programmes capable of performing tasks that normally require human thinking — such as learning, understanding language, recognizing images, and making decisions. 

² Electronic identification (eID) is a secure digital method of verifying a person’s identity, allowing users to authenticate themselves online and access various public and private sector e-services. It replaces the need to present an identity document in person, providing convenient and secure access to, for example, online banking, the national portal latvija.lv, or document signing with an e-signature.

Media requests:
Public Relations Section
E-mail: media@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 27880666

More information on the data:
Anna Karolīna Ozola
Social Statistics Methodology Section
Senior expert
E-mail: anna.ozola@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366828