The Microsoft AI Economy Institute's "AI Diffusion Report" has revealed striking disparities in the global adoption of artificial intelligence, identifying the United Arab Emirates UAE and Singapore as global frontrunners, while countries like Pakistan continue to lag far behind due to infrastructure, connectivity, and skills challenges.
According to the report, artificial intelligence has become the fastest-adopted technology in human history, with over 1.2 billion people using AI tools in less than three years. However, the benefits of this rapid expansion are not being shared evenly across the world. The Global North now records an average AI adoption rate of 23, nearly double that of the Global South, which stands at 13.
The findings show that UAE and Singapore have emerged as global leaders in AI diffusion, with 59.4 and 58.6 of their working-age populations using AI, respectively. Both nations have achieved this success through long-term investment in digital infrastructure, education, and policy coordination. Their approach demonstrates that even countries without frontier-level AI model development can still lead in adoption by building strong foundational capabilities in connectivity, digital literacy, and governance.
