Generative AI use nearly doubles in one year
Artificial Intelligence Statistics published by the Turkish Statistical Institute on October 2, 2026 show a sharp increase in AI use among individuals and businesses in Türkiye. Among internet users aged 16 to 74, the share reporting generative AI use rose from 19.2 percent in 2025 to 37.6 percent in 2026. Among enterprises with at least 10 employees, the share using any AI technology increased from 7.5 percent to 14 percent.
The bulletin draws on the Household Information Technologies Usage Survey for individuals and the Information Technologies Usage in Enterprises Survey for businesses. The individual indicator measures deliberate use of generative AI tools to create content. The enterprise measure covers a broader group of technologies, including text and image generation, machine-learning analysis, virtual assistants, and decision systems embedded in equipment.
Younger people and university graduates lead adoption
The highest age-group rate was recorded among people aged 16 to 24, at 64.9 percent. They were followed by the 25-34 group at 55.7 percent and the 35-44 group at 38.1 percent. Use also varied by education. The rate reached 62.7 percent among higher-education graduates, compared with 45.4 percent among high-school or vocational graduates, 35.5 percent among lower-secondary graduates, and 8.5 percent among primary-school graduates.
Generative AI use was reported by 38.1 percent of women and 37.2 percent of men. Of those using AI, 86.4 percent said they used it for private purposes. Professional use was reported by 37.3 percent and formal-education use by 32.6 percent. Respondents could select more than one purpose, so the percentages are not intended to add up to 100.
Business size remains a major dividing line
The share of enterprises using AI increased from 2.7 percent in 2021 to 14 percent in 2026. Adoption rose with company size: 12.8 percent among businesses with 10 to 49 employees, 17 percent among those with 50 to 249 employees, and 37.1 percent among enterprises with at least 250 workers. Telecommunications, programming, and information-service activities recorded the highest sector rate, at 63.7 percent.
Marketing and sales were the most common business purpose, cited by 51 percent of AI-using enterprises. Research and development or innovation followed at 46.3 percent, while 43.4 percent reported using AI in production or service processes. Open-source AI software was used by 67.8 percent of adopting enterprises, while 49.1 percent used closed-source systems.
The way companies acquired AI systems was also measured. Some 46.5 percent reported having systems developed by external providers, while 32.1 percent relied on their own employees for development. The figures describe acquisition methods but do not measure project budgets, technical success, or productivity gains.
The results also highlight skills, legal, and privacy challenges. Some 16.6 percent of AI-using enterprises said the technology was used to process personal data. Among businesses not yet using AI, 8.3 percent were considering adoption. Within that group, 72.3 percent cited a lack of relevant expertise, 66.4 percent pointed to legal uncertainty over responsibility for possible harm, and 65.4 percent cited data-protection and privacy concerns.
The rates rely on statements made by surveyed individuals and enterprises. They do not directly show how often tools are used, how many models are deployed, or whether outputs are accurate. The business survey also covers enterprises with at least 10 employees, meaning smaller firms are outside this particular indicator. That scope should be kept in mind when interpreting the figures as a picture of the whole economy.
The statistics indicate that AI is spreading rapidly through daily life and business processes in Türkiye. They do not, however, measure the productivity or economic value of the systems being used. Assessing the broader effect on business performance, employment, and skills will require these adoption figures to be considered alongside other economic and labour indicators.
