Artificial intelligence is no longer a curiosity, it’s becoming a daily habit. AI usage among Romanians rose sharply from 47% in 2025 to 68% in 2026, according to the latest survey conducted by Reveal Marketing Research.
The strongest adoption comes from urban consumers, particularly young adults aged 18-34, who are leading the shift toward AI-powered work, learning and shopping.
Young Romanians see AI as highly useful, but risks are on the radar
Nearly 19% of urban respondents now consider AI very useful, with enthusiasm peaking at 30% among people aged 18–34. At the same time, perceptions are becoming more nuanced: 53% of respondents say AI is useful but comes with certain risks, up from 49% in 2025.
Awareness of these risks is highest among high-income earners, with 63% of people earning more than RON 8,000 per month expressing heightened concern about AI’s potential downsides.
How Romanians actually use AI
Among active users, AI has become a multifunctional assistant rather than a single-purpose tool. The most common uses include general information searches – 83%, work-related support – 44%, education and learning – 39%.
Two use cases saw the fastest growth year on year, AI at work, rising from 31% to 44%, personal planning and organisation, increasing from 19% in 2025 to 30% this year.
AI is reshaping shopping decisions
AI’s influence on consumer behaviour is becoming impossible to ignore. A striking 91% of users rely on AI to search for information about brands or products, while 65% say AI directly influences their purchasing decisions.
Consumers cite several ways AI supports the buying process: product and price comparisons – 65%, review summarisation – 55%, and personalised recommendations – 41%. The result: AI is increasingly acting as a digital shopping advisor.
Text still dominates AI interaction
Around 77% of Romanian AI users prefer text-based communication, up 11 percentage points compared with last year. Meanwhile 17% use a mix of text and voice, and 17% use a mix of text and voice.
Trust in AI declines, even as usage grows
Interestingly, greater adoption does not translate into blind trust. The share of respondents expressing high or very high trust in AI-generated information fell from 65% in 2025 to 55% in 2026, suggesting a more critical and informed user base.
ChatGPT dominates Romania’s AI landscape
Among AI platforms, ChatGPT remains the clear market leader, used by 83% of respondents. It is followed by Gemini – 35%, and Microsoft Copilot – 15%. ChatGPT is especially popular among users aged 25–34 (92%) and high-income earners (over RON 8,000) – 89%.
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