ChatGPT Adoption by Age in the US: What Pew Data Means for Business AI Rollouts

Age is a major dividing line in reported ChatGPT adoption in the United States. In Pew Research Center's 2025 snapshot, 58% of adults aged 18 to 29 said they had ever used ChatGPT, compared with 41% of those aged 30 to 49, 25% of adults aged 50 to 64, and 10% of those 65 and older. The overall figure was 34%. The result matters because an overall adoption statistic can obscure very different levels of familiarity within a workforce or customer base. Businesses planning AI-enabled processes should not assume that employees or customers begin with the same experience of conversational AI. The relevant question is not whether a national usage figure is rising, but where familiarity is concentrated and where practical support may be needed. Pew's chart on ChatGPT use by age documents the 2023 through 2025 trend and shows that use rose across every age group. It also shows that the gap between younger and older adults remained substantial as adoption expanded. The age gap is persistent, even as use grows Pew's figures show broad growth from 2023 to 2025, rather than growth limited to younger adults. But the starting points and adoption levels differ sharply. In 2025, adults aged 18 to 29 were nearly six times as likely as adults 65 and older to report ever having used ChatGPT. Age group 2023 2024 2025 18 to 29 33% 43% 58% 30 to 49 21% 27% 41% 50 to 64 13% 17% 25% 65 and older 4% 6% 10% All adults 18% 23% 34% The measure is important to interpret correctly. It captures whether respondents had ever used ChatGPT , not how frequently they use it, how skilled they are at prompting, whether they use it at work, or whether they trust its output. Age is therefore a useful signal for planning, but it is not a substitute for asking people about their actual needs, confidence and tasks. Pew's more recent 2026 materials expanded the scope to ask about other chatbots as well. Adoption levels were higher across age groups under that broader framing, so businesses should avoid treating