Source
AI adoption is growing worldwide, but regional gaps are widening
The latest Global AI Diffusion Report shows that generative AI usage among the global working-age population rose to 18.8% in June 2026.
Why it matters
The widening gap in AI adoption between the Global North and South could impact global economic equity. Open-weight models may help by reducing costs and enabling adaptation to local needs.
The details
South Korea saw the largest absolute increase at 3.5 percentage points, while Saudi Arabia rose from 30th to 25th place. Japan recorded the largest relative change, growing by 2.2 percentage points. The findings are based on adjusted Microsoft telemetry data.
What's next
The next report will include usage of new AI tools and models, which is expected to increase user share figures, particularly in China.
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In this article
Key connections
Microsoft Copilot is related to Generative AI
who have used a generative AI product during the reported period... Using consumer Microsoft Copilot usage insights
Generative AI is related to Application Programming Interface
Open-weight AI model use is increasingly visible through application programming interface (API) usage of AI
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