AI diffusion: UAE and Singapore lead the way, Microsoft says

Analysis also finds room for improvement for AI language diversity

A new report from Microsoft examines which countries are most proficient in implementing AI

The UAE, Singapore, Norway, Ireland and France received some of the highest scores for AI adoption, a report from Microsoft's AI Economy Institute has found.

Microsoft spotlights the UAE and Singapore for “leading in AI use among working-age adults, reflecting their long-term investment in digital connectivity and skills”.

Adoption of AI and adaptation to its use is known as diffusion. One of the major factors in high AI usage, the report said, was countries investing heavily in digital infrastructure and education.

A new report from Microsoft indicates which countries have been most successful in the adoption of and adaption to AI technology.

In terms of AI models, the US leads the way with OpenAI's GPT-5, which the report said “remains at the frontier”, and China trailing close behind with DeepSeek.

The analysis shed more light on growing concerns of an AI adoption gap that could leave many countries behind.

A lack of infrastructure and sparse education opportunities were cited as factors causing sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia to trail behind.

The research indicated a lack of reliable electricity, which leaves many unable to “fully participate in the digital economy”, was also strongly correlated to countries with lower AI adoption rates.

Even if reliable electricity were not a problem in those countries, Microsoft pointed out that data centres, which are increasingly important to train and run AI large language models, “are concentrated in the Global North, and only a handful exist in the Global South”, creating another obstacle for countries hoping to participate in the much-discussed AI economy.

“Today's map shows a clear divide,” Microsoft's president and vice chairman Brad Smith said, adding that his hope was for the report to assist in making “AI work for every language and community”.

The company's report also noted that despite efforts in recent years to make AI models inclusive from a language standpoint, there is still a significant gap to close.

Microsoft says data centres, which are increasingly important for AI infrastructure, are still largely located in the Global North. Photo: Microsoft

Estimates show only 4 to 5 per cent of the world's population speaks English as a first language. But about half of the “open web” is in English, increasing the likelihood of certain AI bias and potentially leaving other languages behind.

“The result is a systemic barrier,” the report said, before adding that some languages are vastly underrepresented.

“Swahili, which is spoken by over 200 million people, has over 500 times less digital content than German,” Microsoft said.