Flemish people are searching for their footing in their relationship with technology. Increased digitalization in daily life is driving the demand for hybrid alternatives, while a breach of trust in Big Tech has not yet led to a break in adoption.
Digital technology has become an indispensable part of daily life in Flanders. That is the brief conclusion of the annual Digimeter study by imec, based on a survey of 3,001 Flemish citizens. In reality, the relationship between the Flemish people and technology is much more complex. According to imec, the Fleming is not only a ‘Homo Digitalis’, but also a ‘Homo Paradoxalis’. The rapid adoption of AI technology in Flanders is putting even more pressure on this paradoxical relationship.
Saturation
Imec is starting to see saturation in the adoption rate of hardware. Today, almost every adult in Flanders (99%) has at least one smart/connectable device at home. The smartphone has held the top spot for years with an adoption rate of 95 percent, while 92 percent of Flemings own a computer.
99 percent also have access to ‘some form of internet connection’ at home. This is by no means always high-speed internet. For one in three households from lower income levels, better fixed or mobile internet is too expensive.
Need for hybrid
Broad access to technology is accompanied by an extensive digitalization of our daily lives. Companies are fully committed to digital services, and banks, government institutions, and medical organizations are following in their wake. Online and offline alternatives coexist, or offline services are being phased out to further expand online services.
However, Flemish citizens are not yet looking for a fully digital world. While the adoption of digital services is rising, Flemings want to retain the option of physically visiting a government desk or bank. For many matters such as work, administration, banking, government communication, or healthcare, Flemings prefer the hybrid middle ground over being fully online. Only for filing the annual tax return is there a clear preference for online (60%).
Organizations must therefore not lose sight of the classic, analog side of their service delivery. Online services are seen as a convenient addition, but not as a substitute. In fact, 43 percent of citizens feel that the use of digital platforms is being forced upon them by society. This sentiment is particularly prevalent among lower income levels.
Love-hate relationship with social media and AI
Imec also sees contradictions in the way Flemings handle social media and AI. We all remain fervent users of social media: 87 percent use at least one platform daily. Meta’s WhatsApp tops the list. Elon Musk and X can count on little sympathy: barely three percent are still active.
However, Flemish citizens seem increasingly aware of the distractions caused by social media. Six out of ten consider social media to be time-consuming. Trust in the companies behind the platforms is also at an all-time low: only ten percent consider Meta, Google, and others to be good stewards of personal data. This awareness has no impact on usage.
We are starting to see a similar trend in the use of AI. The Digimeter finds that the adoption of AI tools has grown rapidly in 2025. 43 percent are active users, 15 percent more than in 2024, and 15 percent also pay for generative AI services. Yet imec sees enthusiasm stagnating and even showing cracks. Concerns about the negative impact AI can have on the reliability of information, privacy, and job security are increasing.
Five paradoxes
The Digimeter exposes several contradictions in how Flemings act and think when it comes to technology. We use AI, social media, and other digital platforms daily, but we are not unanimously positive about them. The line between techno-optimism, realism, and cynicism has become very thin. Imec summarizes the complex relationship between Flemings and technology in five paradoxes:
- Dependency paradox: an increasing use of technology leads to an increasing sense of dependency. We consider technology an important tool, but are also aware of potential negative effects. Young people are most concerned about the impact of technology on sleep, mental health, and productivity.
- Truth paradox: Flemings have never been more concerned about the authenticity and reliability of digital information. 87 percent are concerned about the impact of fake news on society. AI reinforces this effect: 85 percent are worried that AI helps spread false information, while 80 percent fear they can no longer tell the difference between what is real and what is AI-generated.
- Data and privacy paradox: the Fleming relies more and more on digital platforms, but is also more concerned about what happens to his/her personal data. Seven out of ten Flemings are worried that data is not stored securely online and are bothered by a lack of control and transparency. International technology companies are trusted the least, medical institutions the most. Nine out of ten Flemings take at least one measure to protect personal data.
Drive for efficiency
The increasing adoption of AI deepens these paradoxes even further. According to imec, two completely new paradoxes have emerged:
- Efficiency paradox: The shift to online services does not automatically lead to efficiency gains. 57 percent indicate that service providers are less accessible via online platforms. However, the Fleming is convinced that AI makes him/her more efficient. 45 percent indicate they can perform work faster and 41 percent feel that the quality of work has improved.
- Outsourcing paradox: Increasing ease of use of technology is accompanied by a loss of cognitive skills that we outsource to it. 37 percent of active AI users say they think for themselves less than before. In the student group, this is as high as 81 percent.
Despite these paradoxes, not using technology is no longer an option for the Fleming. Those who do not keep up with digitalization risk falling behind, both in work and in daily life. Broader adoption of technology seems to deepen that gap rather than narrow it.