Two-thirds of students have used AI services like ChatGPT, CSO finds
This was the first edition of the survey where questions about the use of AI to generate the likes of text, images, videos or programming code were asked. File photo
Two in every three students in Ireland have used generative AI products like ChatGPT this year, with over half of 16- to 29-year-olds saying they had used it in an education setting.
The Central Statistics Office has published data on how Irish people use the internet, and found that students were the most likely to have used AI in the last three months at 66%, while just under half of workers (46%) said they had used such tools.
Separately, the survey also found that almost 23% of men expressed their opinion on civil or political issues online while two thirds of us (68%) have used the internet to seek information online about our physical health such as flu symptoms, high blood pressure and pain medication.
“As of June 2025, we were online and relying on technology and digital services more than ever,” CSO statistician Maureen Delamere said.
“In 2025, email regained its top spot (95%) as most popular internet activity having lost out to finding information about goods or services in 2024. Internet banking or mobile banking (including PayPal, Revolut, Apple Pay, etc.), moved into second place at 94%, up seven percentage points on 2024.”
This was the first edition of the survey where questions about the use of AI to generate the likes of text, images, videos or programming code were asked.
Two in five (42%) of internet users had used generative AI in some form in the three months prior to the survey. It was significantly more prevalent among younger internet users, with 65% of 16- to 29-year-olds using it compared to 15% of the 60- to 74-year-old age group.
The survey reveals the extent to which we now use AI in our workplaces and in education.
For 30-to 44-year-olds, 68% who had used it said they had done so for “professional purposes” while 63% of 45- to 59-year-olds had done so.
For 16- to 29-year-olds who used AI, 71% of women said they had used it in a formal educational setting compared to 41% of men.
Turning to health issues, Ms Delamere said there was a clear gender divide in terms of how many were looking this up online.
“Females (77%) were far more likely than males (55%) to go online to look up information on physical health-related issues,” she said.
“With regard to those going online to look up information on mental health related issues such as anxiety, eating disorders, burnout, depression, etc. it was predominantly younger females (65%) aged 16 to 29 years who sought this information compared with 9% of males in the same age group.”
Meanwhile, shopping online was hugely popular among internet users in Ireland with 85% of us doing so. Buying clothes and accessories online were the most popular items.
The number of us streaming films, series or sports online is also on the rise, up two percentage points to 71% of us using the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, GAA+, and Sky Sports, etc.
Nearly half of us (45%) order food online while 14% order the likes of meal-kits, recipe boxes and groceries online.
Social media apps also remained popular, with 75% of us using them to communicate in 2025.
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