Some 44.5 percent of South Koreans have used generative artificial intelligence (AI) services, a survey showed. The figure was up 11.2 percentage points from a year earlier.

The Ministry of Science and ICT on Monday released the results of its 2025 Survey on Internet Usage. The survey added new items including purposes for using generative AI, satisfaction, specific service names and whether users have paid subscriptions.

The survey showed the internet usage rate among household members aged 3 or older was 95.0 percent, up 0.5 percentage points from a year earlier. Some 95.2 percent of users accessed the internet at least once a day, and average weekly usage time was 21.6 hours. By region, Gwangju posted the highest rate at 97.8 percent and South Jeolla the lowest at 91.1 percent.

The share of respondents saying they had experienced AI services in areas such as housing, transport and education was 67.0 percent, more than double the 2021 level of 32.4 percent. Housing convenience led at 35.9 percent, followed by transport at 25.6 percent, communication and socialising at 20.9 percent, and education and learning at 19.1 percent.

The share of people who had used generative AI rose to 44.5 percent in 2025 from 33.3 percent in 2024, an increase of 11.2 percentage points. Services used, allowing multiple responses, were led by ChatGPT at 41.8 percent, followed by Gemini at 9.8 percent, Copilot at 2.2 percent and Clova X at 2.0 percent. The paid subscription rate was 7.9 percent, with ChatGPT the highest at 7.3 percent.

By occupation, office workers had the highest experience rate at 71.9 percent, but the paid subscription rate was highest among professional and managerial workers at 20.6 percent. By region, experience rates were highest in Sejong at 53.2 percent, Daejeon at 53.1 percent and Seoul at 52.8 percent. Paid subscription rates were highest in Seoul at 11.4 percent, Gyeonggi at 9.9 percent and Gangwon at 9.1 percent.

Among non-users of generative AI, who accounted for 55.5 percent, 49.5 percent cited a lack of interest or need. Among people in their 60s at 25.3 percent and those aged 70 or older at 26.1 percent, the share citing not knowing how to use it was relatively high.

On AI's social impact, positive responses exceeded a majority across all items. Some 66.8 percent said AI services by the government and companies have a positive impact across society, up 12.2 percentage points from a year earlier, meaning about 2 in 3 people viewed it positively. On fairness, 57.0 percent responded positively, while 54.7 percent did so on trustworthiness.

The survey covered 22,671 households nationwide and 50,750 household members aged 3 or older.

Hong Sung-wan (홍성완), director general for ICT policy at the Ministry of Science and ICT, said, "We confirmed that the rapid spread of generative AI is making AI a key driving force that is materially innovating the daily lives and workplaces of the public." He added, "We will continue to 추진 related policies such as strengthening AI utilisation capabilities and building an environment of trust so that AI services can take root safely and usefully across the public's lives."