Adults ages 50 and older are adopting consumer technologies, including smartphones, wearables, home assistants/smart speakers and smart home technologies, at nearly the same rate as adults ages 18 to 49, according to a survey of 2,600 U.S. adults, conducted by AARP. 

The survey also found that the generation gap in smartphone adoption is narrowing. In the past two years, smartphone usage has jumped from 70% to 77% among older adults. Furthermore, in 2014, when 8 in 10 younger Americans owned a smartphone, only half of adults over 50 owned one.

Today, smartphone adoption is 86% among Americans ages 50 to 59 and 81% for those 60 to 69. Meanwhile, 62% of those 70 and older use smartphones.

Still, younger users are more likely to report using their smartphones on a daily basis. When older Americans use them, it’s most often for email, directions, online searches or checking social media. A smaller percentage of those 50 and older are using their devices to conduct financial transactions (37%) or automate their home (16%).

“The results reflect what we all are seeing in our daily lives, with our parents, relatives, friends and neighbors using technology on a regular basis to stay connected and be entertained and informed,” stated AARP Senior Vice President of Research Alison Bryant. “When adults see the need for and benefits of tech, they are using it in increasingly similar patterns as those in younger generations.”