We are living through two megatrends humanity has never seen before.

The first is aging. Populations over 65 are growing not just in developed countries, but across many middle-income economies. As societies age, the strains pile up: fewer workers,  weaker demand, overstretched health systems, and rising risks to long-term fiscal sustainability.

The second is the technology revolution. Digital technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), can now deliver services once scarce and costly, from tutoring workers to guiding patients and delivering public services. These are the services aging societies need most.

Yet these benefits reach older adults only if they use them. Older adults consistently lag behind the rest of society in accessing and using digital technologies, a gap known as the ‘silver digital divide’. Closing this divide is more than enhancing digital inclusion. It is what helps aging societies stay productive, resilient, and prosperous.

Fast aging, slow digitalization

This gap spans almost every economy: internet use among the working-age population (15 to 64) consistently exceeds that of adults 65 and above. The overlap between aging and digital disconnection is particularly pronounced in middle-income countries, where the aging process has begun or is about to accelerate, but digital usage among older adults stays slow. For instance, Thailand is nearly as aged as the U.S., with 15 percent of its population over 65 against 18 percent in the U.S., yet only 52 percent of older Thais are online, about half the U.S. level. The divide extends across finance, health, work, and public services.

The core paradox is that older adults have much to gain from digital technologies, yet they are often among the least likely to access and use them, causing aging societies to miss out on opportunities for healthier lives, longer productive lives, and reduced care costs.

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