Artificial intelligence adoption reveals growing global digital divide

Artificial intelligence is driving rapid changes in the global economy, but its benefits are unevenly distributed, risking a deepening of existing socio-economic inequalities. According to data from the International Labour Organization, approximately 60 percent of the global workforce—over 2 billion people—operates within the informal economy, a figure that exceeds 80 percent in developing nations.

Regional adoption rates vary significantly. Microsoft’s AI Adoption Index indicates that North America leads with a 26.4 percent adoption rate, followed closely by Europe at 25.5 percent. In contrast, adoption rates are much lower in Asia (16.6 percent), South America (13.8 percent), and Africa (9.1 percent). While AI enhances productivity in the formal technology and service sectors of developed regions, the high prevalence of informal labor in developing nations may prevent these populations from accessing similar advantages.

In regions like Latin America, South and Southeast Asia, and Africa, the impact of AI manifests differently. In countries such as Brazil and Mexico, integration occurs through e-commerce and digital payments for small businesses. In India, Indonesia, and Vietnam, where informal employment is high, digital government infrastructure is increasingly linking AI tools with digital finance systems to integrate informal workers.