[DigitalToday reporter Jin-ho Lee (이진호)] An analysis found that most consumers are aware of artificial intelligence (AI), but only 3 in 10 use it in daily life or work.

The Korea Consumer Agency on Thursday released results of an analysis of digital and AI consumption behavior by region nationwide, based on last year’s "AI Consumption Behavior Survey Research" and data from the "2025 Korea Consumer Life Index".

The analysis showed 86.8% of respondents said they "know" AI. By region, awareness was high in the Southeast (88.8%) and the Seoul metropolitan area (87.1%), while Honam (81.4%) was relatively low.

Despite the high awareness, actual use was found to be low. Only 32.3% said they make important use of generative AI in everyday consumption and work. Even in the Seoul metropolitan area, which had the highest usage, the figure was 34.5%.

The share of consumers who have experience buying AI products or services was 75.3%. In Honam, both the AI usage rate (28.2%) and the purchase experience rate (69.5%) were lower than in other regions.

There were also regional differences in the use of digital payments and commerce. The overall experience rate of e-commerce was 73.1%, and the average usage rate of digital payment services such as KakaoPay and Samsung Pay was 49.8%. The rate was 56.4% in the Seoul metropolitan area, but stood at 28.4% in Honam, showing a gap of about twofold.

In an analysis of trust in perceived conditions for digital consumption, scored out of 100, the Seoul metropolitan area was highest at 66.4 points. Jeju followed with 65.8 points, and Honam with 65.6 points.

In the category of capability to respond to digital security incidents and raise objections, Jeju recorded the highest score nationwide at 68.7 points. The Korea Consumer Agency said operating a hub center in Jeju City to narrow gaps in digital capabilities, among other measures, had a positive impact.