Artificial intelligence adoption has been on the rise globally, but new data shows some countries significantly outperforming others, while the gap between advanced nations and developing nations has widened. The United Arab Emirates and Singapore are the standouts, with over 60% of the population in both countries using some type of generative AI tool in the past year, according to a recent report by Microsoft that measured AI diffusion, or the percentage of population using generative AI, around the world.
Both countries also host a growing number of data centers, despite their hot temperatures that make for relatively unsuitable operating conditions.
In contrast, in South and Central America, 14 of the 24 countries had adoption rates below 20%, including Mexico, Venezuela, and Brazil. Most of the AI adoption in the region is driven by government agencies, while private companies lag behind due to high costs and lack of technical skills, according to the report.
While South Korea ranks 18th in terms of AI adoption, it saw the highest growth in the past year, thanks to its increased use of AI in the workplace. The country’s diffusion rate grew from nearly 26% in the first half of 2025 to 30% by the end of the year. Encouraged by the fast pace of adoption, OpenAI set up an office in Seoul last September. By the end of 2025, ChatGPT became the most popular smartphone app in the country.
Other countries in the region like India, Philippines, and Malaysia saw slight improvements in AI usage, with tools like ChatGPT and Gemini among the most widely used. Despite these developments, overall AI adoption in Asian and African countries still lags behind their counterparts in the West.
Despite ChatGPT’s dominance, DeepSeek has managed to capitalize on markets where U.S-based tools might be restricted. It has secured a significant market share in countries including its home market of China (89%), as well as Belarus (56%), Russia (43%), Cuba (49%), and some African nations where overall adoption remains low.
