Digital skills in Switzerland vary greatly

Digital skills in Switzerland vary greatly in some cases Keystone-SDA

Digital participation in Switzerland is high by international standards, but there are major differences within the country.

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Older people and those with a lower level of education are at a disadvantage, the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) wrote in a report on Tuesday.

Skills and the use of e-banking and artificial intelligence are particularly affected. In comparison with the European Union, Switzerland is well positioned. Switzerland is above the EU average in the areas of internet access, digital skills and use of online services, but never in first place.

There were major differences within the population in terms of digital skills. The risk of being excluded from digital participation due to a lack of skills is greatest among older people, but above all among people without post-compulsory education and in occupations with the lowest level of qualification.

Differences between women and men

Although more than three quarters of 16 to 74-year-olds had at least basic skills last year, this proportion was significantly lower among the over-60s, people without compulsory education and women, according to the report.

The gap continued in the use of online services. While 81% of the population aged between 15 and 88 used e-banking in 2025, the figure was only 62% for the over-60s.

The difference is even greater when it comes to the use of artificial intelligence (AI). According to the FSO, three quarters of 15 to 29-year-olds used this tool, compared to just 15% of over-60s. Men also use generative AI more frequently than women (47% versus 40%).

For people with a tertiary qualification, the proportion is more than half, for those with an upper secondary level qualification it is 30% and for those with no post-compulsory education it is 17%.

In 2025, 99% of households in Switzerland had an internet connection. 92% of people used the internet daily or almost daily.

It is important that the entire population has access to digital applications and knows how to use them, wrote the FSO. In this context, it speaks of digital participation or e-inclusion. This means that all people have access to information and communication technologies and are able to use them efficiently when required.

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Adapted from German by AI/mga

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