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Retirees Increase Use of AI Tools and Online Platforms
Fifteen retired Americans described spending more time with chatbots, AI classes, and digital projects than with traditional leisure activities. Smartphone ownership among adults 50 and older rose from 55% in 2016 to 90% in 2025, while AI use nearly doubled from 18% to 30% between 2024 and 2025.
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Retired Americans are spending increasing portions of their time on digital tools and AI applications, according to interviews with 15 individuals conducted by Business Insider. Brian Rezendes, 64, retired in April from a retail job in rural North Dakota. He now builds apps and YouTube channels while occasionally traveling with his wife.
Survey data cited in the reporting show adults 65 and older nearly doubled their YouTube consumption on television between 2023 and 2025. Older Americans spend more than four hours daily in front of screens. Brittne Kakulla of AARP Research stated smartphone ownership among adults aged 50 and older increased from 55% in 2016 to 90% in 2025.
AI tool usage among the same group rose from 18% in 2024 to 30% in 2025.
Humphrey, 73, of Schenectady, New York, has used the companion robot ElliQ for more than three years. She reported experiencing withdrawals while awaiting an updated model. Edward Perry, 72, of Austin, used AI after a terminal cancer diagnosis to manage health tasks and family interactions.
Jan Friedlander, 81, relied on AI to research treatment options, clothing, and travel plans while also teaching AI classes to peers in Denver. Pat Smith, 73, submitted lab results to ChatGPT after an antibiotic reaction and later consulted her physician.
She balances technology use with exercise and mosaic work. Marcia Sweet, 72, operates a tech-support business in Bradenton, Florida, and maintains a home equipped with robot vacuums and smart lighting. Laura Noren, 61, completed IT courses after leaving nursing and now works as an Amazon Flex driver while assisting her 84-year-old mother with phone contacts and scam avoidance.
