Slow digital transition:

Half of Hungarians do not use AI at all in their work

A survey conducted by the Hungarian Institute of Information and Communication Technologies (GKI) in July on a representative sample of 1,000 people on the prevalence of artificial intelligence (AI) in Hungary yielded surprising results. According to the survey, although AI has been with us for years and is developing rapidly, a significant portion of Hungarians still do not even want to hear about using AI.

Workplace vs. private life: different usage habits

According to the results of the survey, almost half of those surveyed never use AI for their work or studies, and another 17% do so only very rarely. In contrast, only 8% use it often and 9% work with artificial intelligence at work very often.

In terms of home use, the experiences are somewhat more favorable: 64% of those surveyed have already used AI for private purposes, and one-third of them (i.e. 20% in total) do so often. This indicates that people are more willing to use AI for personal purposes than in a professional setting.

Generational gap in technology adoption

The biggest differences are in the age breakdown, which clearly points to a generational gap:

• Students: the AI generation
  90% of students surveyed have already used AI for their studies
  42% use it very often
  Another 16% use it often
• Active workers: a mixed picture
  56% of active workers use some kind of AI application for their work
  17% use it often or very often

This trend indicates that the spread of AI in the future will be fueled by the entry of younger generations into the labor market, which could bring significant changes to workplace culture.

Differences by occupation

The research also revealed significant differences by occupation:

Most active users:

Independent intellectuals: They use artificial intelligence the most in their work

Managers: High AI adoption rate

Office workers in competitive sectors: Active users

Less active groups:

Entrepreneurs: Surprisingly less widespread use of AI

Office workers in the public sector: Lowest adoption rate

Regional differences

The capital city has a higher rate of AI users than other types of settlements – partly due to the greater weight of the service sector. This difference represents a new dimension of the digital divide, which may further deepen regional inequalities.

However, it is positive news that no significant differences can be observed between the use of AI by men and women, indicating that the gender digital divide does not appear in this area.

Feelings of Threat at Work

An interesting paradox is that while 70% of respondents perceive some level of threat from AI to their jobs in the next five years, only 5% consider this threat to be significant. This indicates that people are aware of the potential impacts of AI but do not feel their jobs are in immediate danger.

Generational differences in the feeling of threat:
Young people, who are already more willing to use AI, are the ones who are more afraid of their jobs
Students are more worried about their future jobs than those who are already working

Sectoral differences:

Most threatened:

Those employed in office jobs in the competitive sector
Least worried: Those engaged in independent intellectual activities
Implications for businesses

The survey results carry important messages for Hungarian businesses:

• Training needs: A significant part of employees are unaware of the possibilities of AI
• Generational change: The entry of young employees will bring about change
• Potential for competitive advantage: Companies that adopt AI early can gain an advantage
• Change management: There is a need to address employees’ fears about AI

Future prospects

The spread of AI in Hungary is slower than the pace of technological development would justify. This is partly a cultural and partly an educational issue. However, the entry of younger generations into the labor market is expected to accelerate this process.

It is crucial for businesses to proactively prepare for this change and invest in the development of their employees’ digital competencies.

Source: Pénzcentrum.hu, GKI