AI use in Latvia jumps to 58% of internet users as businesses lag behind

Artificial intelligence has gone from novelty to everyday tool in Latvia in the space of a year. In 2026, 58.2% of internet users used generative AI tools, up 23.1 percentage points on a year earlier, according to the annual survey by the Central Statistical Bureau (CSP), Latvia's national statistics office. Businesses are moving more slowly: 18.5% of firms with at least 10 employees use AI, 6.3 percentage points more than in 2025.

Nearly all young people, and older users catching up fast

Young people are the most active users: 91.3% of 16- to 24-year-olds use AI tools, up from 72.7% a year earlier, and among pupils and students the figure is 95.8%. The fastest growth, however, is among older people. Among 55- to 64-year-olds the share rose from 12.1% to 36.8%, and among 65- to 74-year-olds from 5.7% to 18.4%, tripling in both groups. More than half of 45- to 54-year-olds, 56.1%, now use AI as well.

By region, use is highest in the Riga region, at 65.2% of internet users, while Vidzeme and Zemgale saw the fastest growth over the year.

More for private life than for work

Most people use AI for their own needs: 53% of AI users do so for private purposes, up from 28% in 2025. At work, 24.8% of users turn to AI, compared with 15.5% a year earlier, and 12.6% use it in formal education.

Some 41.8% of internet users do not use AI tools, down from 64.9% a year earlier. The most common reason given is that they have no need for them; fewer say they do not know how to use them or have never heard of them.

A wide gap between large and small companies

Among businesses, AI use depends closely on size: 62.9% of large companies, 28.8% of medium-sized ones and only 15.3% of small firms use at least one AI tool. The most common use is analysing written language, at 13.8% of companies, while 11.8% use AI to generate images, video or sound. Because small firms make up most of Latvia's businesses, they drive the overall figure.

Defence and the UN Security Council

AI development in Latvia is not limited to office computers and phones. At the end of October AlliedTechLabs opened in Riga, a unit of the Institute of Electronics and Computer Science (EDI) that will develop and test defence technologies, including 5G/6G communications systems, artificial intelligence and dual-use solutions. The centre is backed by the telecoms company LMT, the defence and education ministries and Riga City Council.

In November Latvia holds the presidency of the UN Security Council for the first time, and the impact of fast-moving technology is one of its priorities. A high-level debate on conflict resolution in an era of rapid technological change is scheduled for 24 November.