Opening the World of Modern Seniors 50+: Chatting on LINE, Watching YouTube, Mastering ChatGPT Beyond the Younger Generation

CMMU reveals the Silver Age Technology Adoption research indicating that seniors aged 50 and above are keeping up with the times, with internet usage tripling and widespread use of ChatGPT and Health Tech.

Forget the old notion that seniors lag behind in technology. Recent research reveals a major transformation: the “Silver Age” group, aged 50 and above, has become full-fledged digital consumers. Internet usage has soared more than threefold over the past seven years, and 94% have tried AI tools like ChatGPT. This shift is not just about lifestyle but signals a warning to businesses to adapt quickly to the “Silver Economy,” a new wealth source estimated to be worth 3.5 trillion baht.

Opening the world of the “Silver Age”: modern seniors are more high-tech than expected.

According to data disclosed by the College of Management, Mahidol University (CMMU) in the “Silver Age Technology Adoption” research, surprising findings show Thailand is fully entering the digital era among seniors, with notable statistics as follows.

• Internet usage surge: Among those aged 60 and over, internet penetration jumped from 18.20% in 2017 to 69.30% in 2024, an increase of over three times.
• Well-equipped devices: 95% of the Silver Age group own smartphones, and 61% use tablets.
• Online 4 hours daily: More than 19.6 million seniors aged 50+ use digital devices and are online an average of 4 hours per day.
• Popular platforms: LINE (93%) and Facebook (83%) are the main communication tools, while YouTube (90%) and Netflix (56%) lead for entertainment.

Staying on trend with AI: ChatGPT captures the hearts of seniors.

Remarkably, the Silver Age group does not just use basic apps but has stepped into the AI world. The research shows 94% have used AI, with the top three popular tools being:

• ChatGPT (72%)
• Google Gemini (49%)
• Microsoft Copilot (25%)
• Most use these tools for information searching (82%), learning new things (62%), and assisting with work (37%).

Insight into male Health Tech users and affluent health-conscious seniors.

Technology adoption and purchasing behavior vary by gender and income.

Men aged 50+ are more likely to be early adopters of health technology than women, showing interest in tools for proactive health management. Their concerns differ by income level, such as:

• Those earning 80,001–150,000 baht focus most on “safety.”
• Those earning over 150,000 baht are more concerned about “health and physical condition” (when finances allow, they focus on quality of life).

The top three technologies this group is willing to pay for are emergency alert devices, telemedicine apps, and health monitoring devices.

Obstacles include “complexity”; a 5A strategy is recommended to engage seniors.

Despite openness to technology, concerns hold this group back, especially system complexity (69%), small font sizes (67%), and data privacy fears (57%). Ms. Thanawan Klomjit, CMMU research team leader, proposed the “5A Star Matrix Framework” for brands to win over these customers.

• Accessibility: Design for ease of use with large fonts and simplicity.
• Assurance: Provide expert certifications or family reviews.
• Autonomy: Technology should help users care for themselves without constant reliance on others.
• Affordability: Not necessarily the cheapest but reasonable and flexible pricing.
• Affinity: Connect with family, such as apps allowing descendants to monitor health data, which eases purchase decisions.

Professor Prasert Thawatchokotavee, project advisor at CMMU, concluded that this demographic shift presents a massive business opportunity in the Silver Economy, expected to grow to 3.5 trillion baht by 2033. Brands that win this group’s loyalty are those offering both “simplicity” and “trust” simultaneously.