One in three uses AI at least once a week - from coding to cooking
- 69 per cent see artificial intelligence primarily as an opportunity – but 72 per cent see a dependency on the US
- Three quarters expect AI to noticeably change society within the next five years
- 24 per cent fear becoming less intelligent through AI use; every second person rejects AI in the workplace
Artificial intelligence is entering the everyday lives of people in Germany at a rapid pace. Already one in three people (34 per cent) uses AI at least once a week, with 15 per cent doing so every day. Among 16- to 29-year-olds, 29 per cent use AI daily; among 30- to 49-year-olds, the figure is 22 per cent. In total, 58 per cent of German residents aged 16 and over use AI. The overall outlook remains positive: 69 per cent see AI primarily as an opportunity, while 27 per cent view it mainly as a risk. However, scepticism is slightly increasing: in the previous year, the figures stood at 74 per cent and 23 per cent respectively. There are notable differences between age groups: while 81 per cent of 16- to 29-year-olds see AI primarily as an opportunity, the figure drops to 58 per cent among those aged 65 and over. Conversely, 37 per cent of older respondents see AI primarily as a risk, compared to just 17 per cent in the youngest age group. These are the findings of a representative survey of 1,003 people aged 16 and over in Germany, conducted on behalf of the digital industry association Bitkom. "Artificial intelligence has entered everyday life faster than any other innovation before it," says Bitkom President Dr Ralf Wintergerst. "Germany must not only use AI, but help shape it – and bring sceptics along on that journey. This means speaking openly about the limits and risks of AI, while also highlighting the enormous possibilities the technology offers – in medicine, education and research, for example."
AI Is Changing Society – For Many, Already Today
The perception that AI is already changing society today has increased noticeably compared to the previous year. 42 per cent say: "AI is already doing this" – up from 32 per cent the year before. A further 11 per cent expect such change within the next year, and 23 per cent within the next two to five years. In total, three quarters of Germans (76 per cent) expect AI to noticeably change society within five years at the latest, nine percentage points more than in the previous year. Only 2 per cent believe AI will never change society.
Concerns: Misinformation Tops the List
11 per cent of people in Germany approach AI without any concerns – twice as many as the previous year (5 per cent). The vast majority, however, share one or more concerns related to AI. The most widespread concern is the spread of misinformation, cited by 50 per cent. Equally as many (50 per cent) feel there are too few rules and controls for AI, while 49 per cent worry that AI is gaining too much power – an increase of five percentage points compared to the previous year. 43 per cent have concerns about the security of their personal data, and 42 per cent find AI often opaque. 41 per cent fear that AI produces incorrect results, 27 per cent are concerned about being manipulated through AI, and 24 per cent see a risk of becoming less intelligent through using AI.
How AI Is Used in Everyday Life – and Why Some Avoid It
Those who do not use AI rarely do so out of a fundamental rejection of the technology: only 13 per cent of non-users describe themselves as principally opposed to AI. Most simply rely on established tools for finding information, such as conventional internet search engines (54 per cent). However, 44 per cent lack trust in AI, and 36 per cent say they simply do not need it. Around one quarter are either unaware of suitable applications (26 per cent) or feel they lack the necessary technical knowledge (22 per cent). 10 per cent have not yet thought about using AI at all. "AI is increasingly being integrated into standard applications and will therefore also reach those who have so far chosen not to use it," says Wintergerst.
The key motivations for using AI can be grouped into three categories: AI as a turbo-boost (58 per cent of AI users save time; 32 per cent avoid mistakes; 20 per cent save money), AI as a coach (50 per cent better understand complex topics; 42 per cent learn new things; 17 per cent want to be able to take part in the conversation), and AI as a sparring partner (48 per cent generate new or more creative ideas; 46 per cent achieve better quality; 40 per cent receive support in making decisions).
Just as diverse as the motivations are the specific areas in which AI is used, with no single topic dominating. 54 per cent of users turn to AI for help with everyday questions such as cooking or repairs, 35 per cent for shopping-related queries, and 21 per cent for travel planning. Half (50 per cent) use AI to write or improve texts, 41 per cent for translations, and 40 per cent to summarise longer texts. AI is also used for very personal topics: 44 per cent seek advice on personal matters, 34 per cent on health-related topics, and 21 per cent on financial questions. 30 per cent use AI to develop new ideas, the same proportion use it to create creative content such as images or music, 22 per cent use it to learn and practise, and 10 per cent use it for programming.
Those who use AI typically do so for multiple purposes simultaneously – on average across five different areas. Only 14 per cent of AI users rely on it for just one or two purposes, 35 per cent for three or four, and 31 per cent for five or six. One in nine AI users (11 per cent) applies it across seven or eight different areas, and 5 per cent in nine or more.
US Providers Dominate the AI Market
US providers play a dominant role among the AI services used. 71 per cent of AI users use ChatGPT from OpenAI, 50 per cent use Gemini from Google, and 43 per cent use Microsoft Copilot. Meta AI, available directly within WhatsApp, is used by 35 per cent. All other AI applications trail far behind: DeepSeek is used by 8 per cent, Perplexity by 7 per cent, Grok from xAI by 6 per cent, and Claude from Anthropic by 5 per cent. The European offering LeChat from Mistral is used by 4 per cent. At the same time, the desire for greater digital sovereignty is strongly felt among the population: 72 per cent of German residents consider Germany too dependent on the US when it comes to AI, 67 per cent would like to use an AI from Germany, and 65 per cent advocate for a dedicated AI from within the European Union. "Europe must not allow itself to become one-sidedly dependent on AI from outside. We need our own, strong providers to secure our digital sovereignty," says Wintergerst.
AI in the Workplace: Almost Half Are On Board – But Equally Many Reject It Entirely
AI has also arrived in professional life. 48 per cent of employed people use AI at work: 8 per cent daily, 18 per cent at least once a week, and 22 per cent less frequently. Equally, 48 per cent have so far not used AI at work at all. Of those who do use AI professionally, the vast majority do so with their employer's knowledge (84 per cent). However, 12 per cent use AI without their employer being aware of it.
Attitudes towards AI in the workplace are divided. For 41 per cent of employed people, their work has already changed as a result of AI. 49 per cent would like to have AI as a personal assistant at work. Conversely, 45 per cent fundamentally reject AI support in their work. "AI can make work safer, better, and more efficient," says Wintergerst. "Participation and communication are now absolutely essential within organisations. Management must create transparency, explain its AI strategy clearly, and equip all employees with the AI skills they need to help shape the path into an AI-driven future."
Many companies are still not bringing their workforce sufficiently on board when introducing AI: only 21 per cent of employed people have made use of AI training offered by their employer, and a further 13 per cent have access to such offerings but have not yet taken them up. In contrast, 37 per cent report that no AI training is available at their workplace, and a further 24 per cent are unsure but assume no such offerings exist.
Benefits: Speed, Quality, Capability
Many employees already see clear benefits of AI in the workplace: it simplifies routine tasks (47 per cent) and saves working time (47 per cent), creates space for more important tasks (43 per cent), and enables faster problem analysis (41 per cent). 39 per cent see an acceleration of processes, and the same proportion see a reduction in errors. 26 per cent cite lower costs as a benefit; 25 per cent each say AI increases their own performance or boosts their motivation. 19 per cent expect access to expert knowledge through AI, 17 per cent anticipate generally better work results, and equally 17 per cent expect greater creativity.
On the downside, questions of accountability, control, and human contact dominate. 62 per cent say it is unclear who is responsible when AI makes a mistake; 59 per cent criticise the lack of clarity about where the data used by AI ends up. 55 per cent bemoan a reduction in human contact at work. 34 per cent fear becoming too reliant on AI and consequently losing skills. 22 per cent are concerned about their own job security, and the same proportion fear losing control over decisions. 20 per cent find using AI too complicated; 19 per cent feel monitored by AI, and equally 19 per cent feel AI makes their own work less valuable. 17 per cent feel under pressure from the use of AI. 12 per cent note that AI could take over the simpler tasks that currently offer them a welcome break at work, and 10 per cent see AI as a hindrance that slows them down. 7 per cent feel their employer is spending too much money on AI.
Methodological note: The data is based on a representative survey conducted by Bitkom Research on behalf of the digital industry association Bitkom. A total of 1,003 people aged 16 and over in Germany were surveyed by telephone. The survey was conducted between calendar weeks 8 and 11 of 2026 and is representative of the German population.
