Digital Technologies on the Rise in the Czech Republic – Internet Use and Artificial Intelligence Continue to Gain Importance

Digital technologies are increasingly shaping everyday life in the Czech Republic. More and more people are using online services, mobile internet and digital government services. At the same time, the use of new technologies such as artificial intelligence is also accelerating in the economy.

The use of digital technologies continues to increase in the Czech Republic. Both access to the internet and the use of smartphones have risen significantly in recent years. Households without an internet connection today are mainly those of older people. At the same time, people in the Czech Republic make above-average use of online banking, internet shopping and digital public administration services in a European comparison.

An important impetus for the spread of the internet has been smartphones combined with fast mobile networks. Within ten years, the number of people over the age of 16 in the Czech Republic who use the internet on their mobile phones has more than doubled. While there were around 3.2 million people in 2015, this number rose to about 7.2 million by 2025.

Nevertheless, clear differences between generations remain. A lack of digital skills or a lower willingness to use new technologies mainly affects older people. “While almost everyone in the younger and middle generations uses the internet on a smartphone, and even in the 55 to 74 age group 75 per cent were already online in 2025, the share among those over 75 was only about a quarter,” said Martin Mana, head of the Department of Social Development Statistics at the Czech Statistical Office.

The Czech Republic above the EU average in online banking

The Czech Republic is also above the European average when it comes to online banking. In 2025, 85 per cent of people aged 16 to 74 used this option, while the average in the European Union was around 70 per cent. Online shopping has also become part of everyday life for many people. Last year, 75 per cent of the population used this form of shopping – the fifth-highest share among EU countries.

Digital communication with government authorities is also becoming increasingly widespread. In 2025, 32 per cent of people over the age of 16 in the Czech Republic were already using electronic identities (eDoklady) to contact public administration. In the 35 to 44 age group, the share was even 49 per cent.

At the same time, the use of artificial intelligence is also gaining importance. In 2025, around one third of people in the Czech Republic used such applications – a share roughly in line with the EU average. Usage is particularly widespread among young people: in the 16 to 24 age group, 78 per cent used AI tools, while only around four per cent of people over 65 use such technologies.

AI and cloud services increasingly used in Czech companies

The importance of artificial intelligence is also growing in companies. Last year, 18 per cent of firms in the Czech Republic used such technologies – about three times as many as in 2023. Within the EU, however, the share is significantly higher in some Nordic countries: in Denmark around 42 per cent of companies used AI in 2025, in Finland 38 per cent and in Sweden 35 per cent.

In addition, the ongoing digitalisation of companies is also reflected in faster internet connections, a growing number of employees with internet access and the increasing use of cloud services. Large companies with at least 250 employees in particular are making greater use of digital technologies. In 2025, 54 per cent of these companies used artificial intelligence applications and 86 per cent used paid cloud solutions – both above the EU average.