Report: Sharp Increase in Global AI Usage Widens Gap Between Wealthy and Poor Countries
A Microsoft report from 2026 shows that 17.8% of the working-age population globally uses generative AI, but the gap between developed and developing countries has widened. In developed countries, 27.5% of people aged 15-64 use the tool, compared to only 15.4% in developing countries, with the gap increasing by 1.5 percentage points since the second half of 2025. The main reasons are differences in internet access, digital skills, and electricity availability.