Baby Boomers Learning AI 2026: 38% Are Active — The Generation Everyone Wrote Off Is Proving Them Wrong

The EY Survey: What 2,515 Baby Boomers Actually Think About AI

The Understanding Older Generations' Adoption of AI report, produced by EY Ripples in partnership with Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) from AARP, is the most comprehensive global study of baby boomers learning AI 2026 to date.

The survey ran from October to November 2025. It drew responses from 16 countries across five regions: Middle East, Africa and India; Asia-Pacific; Europe; Latin America; and North America.

The headline numbers challenge every lazy assumption about older adults and technology:

• 38% are actively learning about AI through online resources, educational videos, and social media
• 24% report being quite or very familiar with AI tools already
• 60% are either somewhat or very positive about AI's likely impact on their lives
• Only 15% expressed no interest in learning about AI at all
• 80% understand that AI outputs can be inaccurate, showing healthy scepticism

"The EY organization is committed to helping to bridge the digital divide by creating inclusive AI education that empowers older adults to confidently engage with technology," said Gillian Hinde, EY Global Corporate Responsibility Leader. "Working to ensure no one is left behind is key to unlocking the potential of this vital demographic in the AI era."

The Gender Gap That Nobody Is Talking About

Beneath the optimistic headline figures lies a troubling divide. The EY survey found that 31% of women aged 60-85 have never used AI, compared to just 20% of men. This 11-percentage-point gender gap in AI adoption mirrors broader patterns of digital exclusion that have persisted for decades — but in the AI era, the consequences of being left behind are accelerating.

The gap is not about interest or intelligence. It reflects decades of structural inequality in three areas: technology access, workplace exposure, and educational opportunity.

Women who left the workforce before AI tools became widespread face a compounding disadvantage. So do those who worked in industries that were slow to adopt technology. This gap grows larger with every month of rapid AI advancement.

For businesses building AI products, this data should be a wake-up call. Age-inclusive design is not just about bigger fonts or simpler interfaces. The pathways into AI adoption differ by gender, region, and prior technology exposure. Good design accounts for all three.

Regional Differences Reveal a Surprising AI Adoption Map

One of the most striking findings in the EY survey is the dramatic variation in AI familiarity across regions. In the Middle East, Africa, and India region, 41% of respondents stated they were quite or very familiar with AI — nearly 3.5 times the rate of North Americans, where only 12% reported the same level of familiarity.

This upends a common assumption. Many expected AI adoption among older adults to be highest in wealthy Western countries. The data tells a different story. Several factors likely explain it:

• Mobile-first technology adoption in regions like India and the Middle East, where older adults may have leapfrogged desktop computing entirely
• Multi-generational households where younger family members introduce and support AI tool usage
• Less entrenched scepticism about AI compared to Western media narratives emphasising AI risks

For technology companies pursuing global digital inclusion strategies, these findings suggest that the "hard to reach" demographic may not be where they expected.

The Workplace Is the Gateway — And Retirees Are Being Left Behind

The survey revealed a critical insight about how baby boomers encounter AI. Those still employed use AI three times more than those who are retired. The workplace is the single most important avenue for AI adoption — even for people in their 60s and beyond.

This creates an urgent problem. Many boomers retired before ChatGPT, Gemini, and other consumer AI tools went mainstream. They missed the organic workplace exposure that drives adoption. They aren't disinterested. They simply never had the on-ramp.

The data on learning preferences is clear. 44% want easy-to-use resources or guides. Another 32% prefer structured online training courses from AI providers. Self-guided learning is the top choice — but curated, age-appropriate starting points matter too.

"Seniors are increasingly integrating technology and AI into their lives in ways that serve their unique wants and needs. Through our Senior Planet program, we offer free AI classes for seniors, and they're consistently some of our most sought-after programs. The data in this report is clear: when it comes to AI, older adults are curious and want to learn more." — Alex Glazebrook, OATS from AARP VP of Business Operations

Understanding Bias and the Dangerous Knowledge Gap

80% of baby boomers surveyed understand that AI outputs can be inaccurate. That is a healthy level of scepticism — one that many younger users lack. But the report flags a deeper concern: understanding of subtler risks like AI bias remains limited.

This matters enormously. An older adult who uses AI for health advice or financial decisions needs to understand something. AI can be systematically wrong in ways that reinforce existing inequalities. Age bias in AI systems — from healthcare algorithms to hiring tools to content recommendation engines — directly affects this demographic.

According to the full EY report, data privacy concerns are cited by 41% of respondents as a barrier to AI adoption. This is a rational response, not technophobia. AI products need to be transparent about how they handle personal data.

What Businesses, Educators, and Policymakers Should Do Next

The EY report doesn't just diagnose the problem. It points toward concrete solutions. The technology democratization opportunity here is enormous. But it requires coordinated action across multiple sectors.

For Businesses

• Invest in age-inclusive AI design: Larger text, clearer navigation, and step-by-step onboarding aren't just accessibility features — they're growth strategies for a massive, underserved market
• Offer transparent data governance: Baby boomers' privacy concerns are legitimate. Companies that address them directly will build trusted relationships
• Don't assume disinterest: Only 15% of 60-85 year-olds have no interest in AI. The other 85% are waiting for the right product, the right entry point, or the right support

For Educators and Policymakers

• Design accessible AI learning pathways through libraries, community centres, and adult education programmes
• Address the gender gap explicitly: Women aged 60-85 need targeted programmes that meet them where they are, not generic "AI for seniors" classes
• Prioritise retirees: Those who left the workforce before AI went mainstream are the highest-priority group for support

EY is already piloting solutions with Arist — a platform that delivers accessible AI upskilling through instant messaging. The pilot launches in Germany and Indonesia in mid-2026, covering communication, budgeting, health management, and hobbies.

The Bottom Line

The narrative that baby boomers are hopeless with technology was always lazy. Now the data on baby boomers learning AI 2026 proves it wrong.

The technology democratization challenge of our era goes beyond developing countries or low-income communities. An entire generation — hundreds of millions of people — risks being excluded from the most transformative technology since the internet.

The 38% who are already actively learning show us the ceiling isn't interest — it's infrastructure. The 41% concerned about privacy show us the barrier isn't technophobia — it's trust. And the 3x gap between employed and retired boomers shows us the problem isn't capability — it's access to the right on-ramp.

Businesses that write off the 60-85 demographic are leaving massive value on the table. Those that invest in age-inclusive design, transparent governance, and accessible education will find something valuable: a customer base that is engaged, growing, and eager to learn.

The generation everyone wrote off is proving them wrong — 38% at a time.