50 million Brazilians already use AI, but potential benefits remain limited to higher income and education levels

Launched this Tuesday by Cetic.br, TIC Domicílios 2025 also brings new data on online betting and limitations to Internet use associated with mobile data packages

São Paulo, December 9 – Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already part of the routine of more than a third (32%) of Internet users in Brazil, equivalent to, in absolute numbers, about 50 million people aged 10 and over. The data comes from the TIC Domicílios 2025, which reveals a rapid adoption of the technology but also notes disparities in the appropriation of AI tools among income and education profiles. The survey was launched this Tuesday (9) by the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee (CGI.br), through the Regional Center for Studies on the Development of the Information Society (Cetic.br) of the Brazilian Network Information Center (NIC.br)

“TIC Domicílios 2025 highlights new indicators on the adoption of generative Artificial Intelligence among Brazilian Internet users. As AI gains relevance in different spheres of daily life, the inequality in the appropriation of this tool among different income and education strata becomes a noticeable element,” warns Alexandre Barbosa, manager of Cetic.br.

In addition to bringing IA data for the first time, the survey presents unprecedented indicators on online betting and restricted Internet use due to mobile data plan limitations. The results also show an advance in connectivity in Brazilian households: 86% of them have access to the network (an increase of three percentage points compared to 2024), with a growth in the proportion of households with fixed broadband (76%, compared to 71% in 2024). At the same time, the data exposes the persistence of digital inclusion challenges.

Inequalities in AI use

The use of generative AI is significantly higher among more educated and higher-income strata. The proportion of those who used these tools reaches 69% in class A, falling to 16% in classes D and E. Similarly, 59% of users with higher education adopted AI, in contrast to 17% of those with elementary education.

The main declared purpose of use was for "personal purposes" (84% of those who used AI). The survey also shows the impact on education: 86% of students in schools or universities resorted to AI to conduct research or academic work. Among those who did not use AI, the lack of skill was a more frequent reason among those with only elementary education (65%), reinforcing the inequality in access and use of technologies, which can create a cycle of exclusion.

“The expansion of generative AI highlights the challenges of digital inclusion in Brazil. Access to technology is not enough if connectivity is limited, or if digital skills are lacking. This scenario indicates that the benefits of AI, such as productivity gains and new learning methods, may continue to be concentrated in groups that historically already have more opportunities,” analyzes Fabio Storino, coordinator of the TIC Domicílios survey.

Mobile connectivity

The survey also investigated the limitation of Internet use due to restrictions of some mobile data plans. Approximately 64 million Brazilians (39% of people who have a mobile phone) stated that their data package ran out at least once in the last three months. The problem affects pay-as-you-go plan users to a greater extent (52%), a more common modality among the low-income population (61% of people in classes D and E who have a mobile phone have this type of plan).

Among those who experienced this situation, 41% could only use specific apps (such as sponsored apps), and 39% remained without access to apps they used to use.

“The new TIC Domicílios indicators regarding mobile network data packages make an important contribution to the discussion about meaningful connectivity, reinforcing that it's not just about having access, but ensuring that the quality of this access allows people to benefit from the online environment,” notes Storino.

Online betting

For the first time, TIC Domicílios 2025 shows that 19% of Internet users (equivalent to 30 million Brazilians aged 10 and over) have engaged in some form of online betting. The practice is more common among men (25%) than women (14%), especially in sports betting (12% and 2%, respectively).

According to the survey, 8% of Internet users placed bets in online casinos, 7% paid to participate in a digital raffle or draw advertised on a social network or messaging app, and an equal proportion made sports bets through sites or apps, or federal lottery bets.

“In this TIC Domicílios, we were able to identify the proportion of Internet users in the country who have already used bets and engaged in online betting. A topic of great concern throughout society, not only economically, but also regarding mental health. What we see revealed is a number I consider quite alarming: we have about 30 million people over the age of 10 who have already made some type of online bet. This overall data, and other more specific ones collected, reinforce the urgency to establish more robust regulatory mechanisms and digital literacy about the risks involved in digital gaming and betting,” argues Renata Mielli, coordinator of CGI.br.

Consolidation of Pix

The edition of this year's survey shows the expansion of Pix in the financial daily life of Brazilians. For the first time measuring its general use for payments and transfers – and not just for online purchases –, the survey indicates that 75% of Internet users used the system, consolidating it as the main digital transaction tool in the country.

However, despite the widespread adoption of Pix, the survey reveals that the intensity and appropriation of the tool still contain socio-economic inequality. While the use of Pix is almost universal in class A (98%), the proportion drops to 60% among users in classes D and E. This 38 percentage-point difference suggests that, although access to Pix has popularized, full participation in the digital economy still faces barriers.

E-Government

Searching for digital public services was another relevant activity investigated by the survey: in 2025, 71% of Internet users aged 16 or older used e-government services. For the first time, the survey measured the specific use of the Gov.br platform, which was accessed by 56% of users in this age group, whether to conduct a service for themselves (49%), for others (18%), or seeking help from others (12%).

About the TIC Domicílios 2025 Survey

Carried out annually since 2005, TIC Domicílios aims to map access to information and communication technologies in the permanent households of the country and their use by individuals aged 10 years or older. In the current edition, data collection took place between March and August 2025 and included 27,177 households and 24,535 individuals.

The sampling plan uses information from the Demographic Census and the Continuous National Household Sample Survey (Pnad Contínua), the most recent available, conducted by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).

The interviews are conducted in person in households in urban areas and, starting in 2008, also in rural areas. The survey sample is stratified and clustered in multiple stages considering the domains of interest for the dissemination of results.

The complete list of indicators and their respective results is available at: https://cetic.br/pt/pesquisa/domicilios/

To watch the launch of the survey, go to: https://www.youtube.com/live/WQoVMec3fC8.

About Cetic.br

The Regional Center for Studies on the Development of the Information Society (Cetic.br), part of NIC.br, is responsible for producing indicators and statistics on Internet access and use in Brazil, disseminating periodic analyses and information on the development of the network in the country. Cetic.br|NIC.br is also a Regional Study Center under the auspices of UNESCO and will complete 20 years of work in 2025. More information at https://cetic.br/.

About the Brazilian Network Information Center – NIC.br

The Brazilian Network Information Center – NIC.br (https://nic.br/) is a private, non-profit civil entity responsible for operating the .br domain, as well as distributing IP numbers and registering Autonomous Systems in the country. NIC.br implements the decisions and projects of the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee - CGI.br since 2005, and all resources collected come from its activities, which are predominantly private. It conducts actions and projects that benefit Internet infrastructure in Brazil. NIC.br includes: Registro.br (https://registro.br), CERT.br (https://cert.br/), Ceptro.br (https://ceptro.br/), Cetic.br (https://cetic.br/), IX.br (https://ix.br/) and Ceweb.br (https://ceweb.br), in addition to projects like Internetsegura.br (https://internetsegura.br) and the Best Practices for Internet in Brazil Portal (https://bcp.nic.br/). It also hosts the W3C Chapter São Paulo office (https://w3c.br/).

About the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee – CGI.br

The Brazilian Internet Steering Committee, responsible for establishing strategic guidelines related to the use and development of the Internet in Brazil, coordinates and integrates all Internet service initiatives in the country, promoting technical quality, innovation, and the dissemination of offered services. Based on the principles of multistakeholderism and transparency, CGI.br represents a democratic Internet governance model, praised internationally, where all sectors of society participate equitably in its decisions. One of its formulations is the 10 Principles for the Governance and Use of the Internet (https://cgi.br/resolucoes/documento/2009/003). More information at https://cgi.br/.

 

This content was automatically translated with the support of artificial intelligence.