Tech Use and Adoption Keeps Surging Among Older Adults

Technology adoption among adults aged 50 and over has accelerated dramatically in recent years, reshaping how older adults access information, manage their health, connect with others, and engage with services. This AARP report, the latest in an ongoing series tracking technology trends among the 50-plus population, finds that AI usage among this demographic has nearly doubled to 30 percent, smartphone ownership has reached 90 percent, and health monitoring technologies have emerged as one of the highest areas of interest and growth, a shift with significant implications for healthcare delivery, healthy aging, and the design of digital health products and services.

The report examines adoption patterns across a range of technologies, smartphones, tablets, wearables, smart home devices, telehealth platforms, and AI-powered tools and documents the factors that drive and hinder adoption among older adults. It finds that usability, perceived relevance, privacy concerns, and cost remain significant barriers for many users, even as overall adoption rates climb. The data challenge persistent assumptions that older adults are reluctant technology adopters, documenting instead a population that is increasingly engaged with technology when it is well-designed and addresses genuine needs.

Health monitoring emerges as a particularly important use case, with growing numbers of older adults using wearable devices, remote monitoring tools, and health apps to track vital signs, manage chronic conditions, and communicate with healthcare providers. The report examines how these technologies are changing the relationship between older adults and their care teams, enabling more continuous monitoring, earlier detection of health changes, and greater individual agency in health management.

For health systems, technology developers, and policymakers, the report provides important evidence on the scale and nature of technology engagement among older adults and on the design, access, and literacy investments required to ensure that the benefits of digital health tools reach the full breadth of the aging population, including those with lower digital literacy or constrained economic resources.