Generative artificial intelligence is still struggling to gain widespread adoption in Italy. Despite the growing prominence of tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini in Europe’s public and technological debate, their actual use among Italian citizens remains limited. This emerges clearly from Eurostat data for 2025, which place Italy near the bottom of the EU ranking.
According to the European statistical office, only 19.9% of Italians aged between 16 and 74 used generative AI tools in the previous three months. This figure is well below the EU average of 32.7% and positions Italy second from last, ahead of Romania only. The gap with more digitally advanced countries is striking: Denmark leads with 48.4%, followed by Estonia and Malta, both above 46%.
Across the EU, generative AI is used mainly for personal purposes. More than a quarter of users rely on it in their private lives, while adoption in the workplace and in formal education remains significantly lower. This suggests that, although widely accessible, these technologies have yet to become fully embedded in productive and educational processes.
Eurostat also examined why more than two thirds of Europeans have not used generative AI. The most common reason is a lack of perceived need, cited by 39% of respondents. Other factors include insufficient digital skills and limited awareness of available tools. A smaller share of users expressed concerns related to privacy and data security.
The perception that generative AI is not useful is particularly widespread in large EU countries such as Poland and Germany, where nearly half of respondents share this view. The findings suggest that the challenge facing Europe is not only technological, but also cultural: translating innovation into tangible benefits for citizens, workers and students.