Charted: Are Younger Countries More Optimistic About AI?
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Key Takeaways
- Younger countries tend to show greater enthusiasm for AI, but there are several key outliers.
- Thailand and South Korea are surprisingly optimistic about AI despite having older populations.
- Western nations like Canada, Belgium, and France show the least AI excitement, correlating with older demographics.
Does age influence optimism about artificial intelligence?
This visualization from Iswardi Ishak charts the relationship between the median age of a country’s population and public sentiment toward AI, based on 2025 data from Ipsos and the UN Population Division.
Respondents were asked whether they agreed with the statement: “Products and services using artificial intelligence make me excited.” The results highlight notable geographic and demographic divides.
Explore the Full Dataset
Here is the full ranking of AI optimism levels across 30 countries, alongside each nation’s median age:
| Country | Optimism About AI (Ipsos, 2025) | Median Age (UN, 2025) |
|---|---|---|
 Indonesia |
80% | 30.4 |
 Thailand |
79% | 40.6 |
 Malaysia |
77% | 31.0 |
 South Korea |
69% | 45.6 |
 Türkiye |
67% | 33.5 |
 Singapore |
67% | 36.2 |
 Peru |
66% | 30.2 |
 Mexico |
65% | 29.6 |
 India |
65% | 28.8 |
 South Africa |
61% | 28.7 |
 Colombia |
60% | 32.5 |
 Brazil |
57% | 34.8 |
 Chile |
53% | 36.9 |
 Poland |
49% | 42.5 |
 Italy |
49% | 48.2 |
 Japan |
46% | 49.8 |
 Spain |
45% | 45.9 |
 Germany |
45% | 45.5 |
 Hungary |
44% | 43.9 |
 Switzerland |
44% | 42.9 |
 Argentina |
43% | 32.9 |
 Ireland |
41% | 39.0 |
 Australia |
40% | 38.3 |
 France |
40% | 42.3 |
 Netherlands |
39% | 41.5 |
 United States |
38% | 38.5 |
 Great Britain |
37% | 40.1 |
 Sweden |
34% | 40.3 |
 Belgium |
32% | 41.9 |
 Canada |
31% | 40.6 |
Younger populations in countries like Indonesia (80% agree), Malaysia (75%), and India (67%) lead the global AI optimism chart. Meanwhile, older and more developed economies, particularly in the West, typically express far less excitement.
Younger Countries, Higher AI Optimism?
The correlation between youth and optimism is strong. Nations with median ages under 35, such as Mexico, Peru, and South Africa, all report optimism levels above 60%.
Indonesia tops the list, with 80% of respondents feeling excited about AI products and services. Interestingly, even countries like Türkiye and Colombia, with slightly older populations, maintain high excitement levels.
Asian Nations Buck the Trend
Despite their aging demographics, countries like Thailand (79%) and South Korea (69%) are among the most enthusiastic about AI. This defies the trend and may reflect a strong emphasis on tech-forward policy and innovation in these regions.
In contrast, Japan, which has the highest median age in the dataset, shows much lower excitement at just 46%.
The West’s Tepid AI Outlook
Western countries generally fall below the global average. Nations such as Canada (36%), Belgium (37%), and France (38%) have older populations and appear less enthused about AI’s promises.
This aligns with broader findings from organizations like Pew Research and the UNU’s MACAU Institute, which suggest a cautious, even skeptical, public attitude in many developed nations, fueled by fears over automation, privacy, and misinformation.
In some cases, neighboring countries with similar demographics show dramatically different attitudes. Argentina (43%), for instance, has a relatively young population but reports much lower optimism than other Latin American countries like Mexico (67%) and Peru (67%).
