A quarter of Macao residents currently use generative artificial intelligence (AI) platforms like ChatGPT, according to the 2024 Internet Usage Trends in Macao report, which was published on Tuesday.
Some 23 percent of those users, who tend to be both relatively young and highly educated, engage with it at least once a week. Around 60 percent of Macao’s internet users were aware of the technology and almost half of them expressed a willingness to use it in the future – up from 33 percent of internet users in 2023.
Generative AI is capable of creating new text, images, code and other data in response to simple prompts. While it has a myriad of practical applications that “can bring new technological development opportunities to Macao,” the report warned that it needed to be approached with caution. For example, fact distortion is not uncommon, meaning people “should learn to evaluate its accuracy.”
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The report also revealed that Macao residents across the board now have equal opportunities to access the internet, and the vast majority of people do so via smartphones.
The SAR’s internet adoption rate in 2023 was 93 percent, about the same as it has been for the past five years. The report cited a lack of knowledge and skills as the biggest barrier to non-users getting online.
In terms of internet activity, 91 percent of the population is active on social media (WeChat is the most popular platform, followed by YouTube, Facebook then WhatsApp). Some 84 percent of people use the internet to watch videos, 76 percent to listen to music, 54 percent to play online games, and 36 percent to listen to podcasts.
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The report stated that 46 percent of Macao residents have also experienced internet privacy and security issues, with internet fraud being the most common issue.
Meanwhile, 67 percent of residents shop online, the same percentage as last year. However, the average monthly spend has gone down from 1,438 patacas in 2023 to 1,383 patacas in 2024.
The annual Internet Usage Trends in Macao report is compiled by the Macao Internet Project. The 2024 version was based on a survey of more than 1,500 residents carried out in January.
