AARP Hearing Center
AGETECH
AgeTech is the growing category of technology solutions designed to meet the needs of the world’s aging population and the more than $45 trillion economy it represents.
- Sitting at the intersection of longevity and technology, AgeTech includes products, services, and experiences across industries that contribute to longer, healthier lives and empower people to choose how they live as they age. [Source: AARP AgeTech Collaborative]
- AgeTech is technology that’s designed to meet the needs of older adults and those who care for them, and includes older adults (and other stakeholders) in the design process. It includes tech that’s designed to help older adults achieve non–health-related goals in later life, such as financial wellness or lifelong learning. [Source: 2024 Agetech Market Map, The Gerontechnologist]
- According to some estimates, the AgeTech market is expected to reach $2 trillion. [Source: AgeTech market slated to double from $1 to $2 trillion, LongevityTechnology.com]
50-plus adults have evolved from basic internet and email users to fully engaged participants in the mobile, always-connected world in the last decade.
- The average number of devices owned by those ages 50 and older has also increased since 2016 from 4 devices to 7.
- There have been increases in ownership across a variety of device types since 2016 including laptops (56% vs 70%), tablets (40% vs 58%), and wearable devices (11% vs 36%).
- Most adults 50-plus (78%) say they rely on technology to stay connected with family and friends. The largest increase in this practice was among adults age 70-plus up to 74%, compared to 51% in 2016.
- More adults 50-plus use text (94% vs 79%) and video chat (46% vs 33%) regularly today to stay in touch with loved ones than did so in 2016. Texting is now the leading communications method among adults 50-plus.
- Digital services are now central to daily life, with older adults using an average of 14 different digital services and 10 different apps in a three-month period.
[Source: 2026 Tech Trends and Adults 50-Plus, fielded September-October 2025.]
TECH SPENDING
Older adults’ tech spending has doubled compared to prepandemic levels.
- Seven in 10 older adults (71%) made a tech purchase in 2025. They spent about $94.5B on tech, or a yearly average of $756, almost twice as much compared to pre-pandemic spending in 2019 ($394).
- In general, the main trigger to purchase new technology is not needing a new tech item (16%), but rather needing to replace an older or broken device (52%).
- Smartphones and smartphone accessories are the most common purchases each at 26%, followed by Bluetooth headphones (21%), Smart TVs (20%), laptops (15%), tablets (13%), and wearables (13%).
- Forty-one percent of adults 50-plus are planning to make a tech purchase in 2026. About 1 in 5 are planning to purchase a new computer (23%; either a laptop, desktop, or tablet), a new smartphone (18%), or subscribe to a new streaming service (19%).
[Source: 2026 Tech Trends and Adults 50-Plus, fielded September-October 2025.]
By 2030, tech spending among those 50-plus is expected to reach $120 billion.
[Source: 2023 Tech Trends and the 50+ Survey, fielded October 2022.]
TECH DEVICES
Tech devices are an integral part of daily life for older adults, as many rely on technology to stay connected to family and friends.
- Nearly all (99%) of those 50 and over own at least one of the top tech devices.
- Adults 50-plus own an average of seven tech devices and report using them daily. The most prevalent: smartphones (90%), smart TVs (77%), laptop computer or netbook (70%), tablets (58%), Bluetooth headset/ear buds (51%), desktop computer (47%), wearable device (36%).
- One in 3 older adults (35%) now owns a home assistant.
- One in 4 (27%) own smart home safety/security tech.
- Adults 50-plus own devices at about the same rate as those 18–49.
- 78% of older adults rely on technology to stay connected and in touch with friends and family.
[Source: 2026 Tech Trends and Adults 50-Plus, fielded September-October 2025.]
Many older adults prefer to remain in their own homes and communities as they age.
- 75% of adults 50 and older want to remain in their homes for the long term — a number that has been consistent for more than a decade.
- Most older adults in the U.S. (71%) own their own homes and about half have paid off their mortgage.
- 90% of all U.S. adults50 and older drive cars themselves.
[Sources: 2021 AARP Home & Community Preferences Survey, fielded June-July 2021; and 2024 Home & Community Preferences Among Adults 18 and Older, fielded June-July 2024.]
Several types of tech are available that will allow older adults to age in place.
- Older adults can monitor and control their home using their voice or a mobile app or device, such as security and monitoring technologies, home safety, and home automation. Home safety can include sensors that detect falls, sensors that detect when a stove is on, etc.
- Adoption of technology that promotes independence and security continues to grow (smart home tech ownership up from 10% in 2019 to 27% in 2025) as does growth in home safety devices (up from 19% in 2024 to 34% in 2025).
- Telehealth and remote monitoring tech allow older adults to receive medical care and support remotely without leaving home.
- Wearable devices allow older adults to track various health metrics.
- Communication technology, such as smartphones and video chat, enable older adults to stay connected with friends and family.
- Health and mobility technologies focused on assistive design such as stairlifts and adaptive clothing can help older adults with mobility issues. Home safety tech devices, such as doorbell cameras, encourage independence and safety are most popular, particularly among consumers 50–59.
[Source: 2026 Tech Trends and Adults 50-Plus, fielded September-October 2025.]
DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT
Technology has made it easier for older adults to stay connected, informed, and engaged in the world around them.
- 91% of older adults have engaged with social media in the past 3 months. Facebook (72%) and YouTube (53%) remain the most popular. One in 3 use Instagram (34%) and about 1 in 5 use TikTok (18%).
- Streaming entertainment continues to gain popularity with older adults as 87% engage in some streaming entertainment. Amazon Prime (65%), Netflix (62%), and Hulu are the top platforms (35%).
[Source: 2026 Tech Trends and Adults 50-Plus, fielded September-October 2025.]
BARRIERS TO ADOPTION AND AGE-FRIENDLY DESIGN
Nearly 6 in 10 (60%) older adults do not believe today’s technology is designed with them in mind, and relative value is one of the biggest barriers to expanding the older adult market.
- When considering a new tech purchase, data privacy is the biggest barrier to tech adoption, according to about one-quarter (25%) of older adults. Other barriers keeping people from engaging with new technology include design and ease of use (14%), set-up and support (18%), cost (18%) and interest and relative value (20%).
- Almost three-quarters (71%) of adults age 50-plus are interested in tech support services for older adults.
- 30% of older adults do not believe they have the necessary digital skills to take full advantage of being online.
[Sources: 2025 Tech Trends and Adults 50-Plus, fielded September 2024; and 2026 Tech Trends and Adults 50-Plus, fielded September-October 2025.]
TECH AND HEALTH
Older adults are recognizing the potential of technology to meet their aging needs.
- Older adults are embracing new technologies that allow them to age in place and receive medical care in the home. Nearly half (46%) of adults 50-plus say tech enables them to lead a healthy life.
- Two in three (66%) agree technology enriches life and makes daily life, aging in place, and aging easier.
- 55% of caregivers now use at least one form of technology, such as motion sensors or remote patient monitoring, to coordinate care or track health.
- 14% of adults 50-plus use technology to maintain their brain health and an additional 20% are interested.
- The use of medical digital services (such as health records or pharmacy apps) saw a significant increase, rising from 35% in 2024 to 46% in 2025.
- Many 50-plus adults recognize the benefits of health-related tech. In 2024, the top digital services used for health and fitness include health-tracking (71% ) and fitness classes (59%), medical services (58%), telemedicine (58%) , and a variety of mental health and wellness services (49%).
- Many adults 50-plus either use or are interested in using technology to aid in their own health and well-being. Top digital services used for health and fitness include health-tracking apps (71%) and fitness classes (59%).
- Top barriers to using tech to better their health include a preference to focus on non-tech solutions (35%) and being unaware of the tech options (29%).
- The introduction of emerging tech and advances in medical tech can extend our lifespan. New tech such as adaptive clothing, wearable exoskeletons, anti-aging drugs, and artificial organs are all examples of the variety of ways tech can be used to help people live longer.
- Tech can help older adults track health indicators, manage health conditions, provide motivation for managing a health condition, and create opportunities to learn about and address health concerns.
[Sources: 2025 Tech Trends and Adults 50-Plus, fielded September 2024; and 2026 Tech Trends and Adults 50-Plus, fielded September-October 2025.]
FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY
Some older adults are using their smartphones to shop and manage their finances.
- 91% of adults 50-plus own a smartphone. Smartphones continue to be the most common purchase, made by 26% of respondents.
- 63% use financial digital services, with online banking being the most popular. Nearly all older adults who use a financial digital service use an online bank (96%), while about half use peer-to-peer money transfers such as Venmo or Zelle (57%).
- Digital retail is extremely prevalent: 79% of adults age 50-plus use e-commerce retailers. Among those who shop online, 80% use online options from physical stores like Costco or Target, and 88% use e-commerce only options such as Amazon and Etsy.
[Source: 2026 Tech Trends and Adults 50-Plus, fielded September-October 2025.]
GEN AI
Interest and use of AI-powered tools are climbing quickly among adults age 50-plus.
- Generative AI use has grown among adults age 50-plus, up to 30% in 2025 from 18% in 2024, and 9% in 2023.
- Among those using AI, 58% have interacted with a specific branded platform or app (such as ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot).
- Adults 50-plus are twice as likely to have experience using Generative AI if they are employed: 42% of employed adults 50-plus have used Generative AI compared to 21% of those who are not employed.
- Practical AI tools are the most popular uses of AI among adults age 50-plus. About half use (31%) or are interested in (20%) AI as a voice personal assistant. Almost half use (13%) or are interested in it (32%) for health monitoring.
- Among adults 50-plus who have used AI, most do so through an AI platform or app (58%), followed by a voice personal assistant (49%), and a chatbot (39%).
[Source: 2026 Tech Trends and Adults 50-Plus, fielded September-October 2025.]
Return to AARP Research Insights