Artificial intelligence is already used by 17.8% of workers worldwide, but regional disparities remain significant

Global growth and Brazil’s performance

In the first quarter of 2026, 17.8% of the world’s working-age population had already experimented with AI tools, according to Microsoft’s Global AI Diffusion Report. This represents a 1.5 percentage point increase compared to the second half of 2025, when the figure stood at 16.3%.

Brazil outperforms the global average. Microsoft estimates that 19.1% of Brazil’s active population used AI during this period, up from 17.1% in the previous semester. This two percentage point increase exceeded global growth rates.

Global leaders and the Brazilian context

A comparison with top-ranking countries highlights the gap that still exists. The United Arab Emirates recorded the highest rate, with 70.1% of its active population using AI, followed by Singapore (63.4%) and Norway (48.6%). In total, 26 economies have already surpassed the 30% adoption threshold.

Although Brazil exceeds the global average, it still lags behind markets where AI has reached a much larger share of society. Regional disparities are also evident: adoption reached 27.5% in the Global North and 15.4% in the Global South, according to Microsoft.

Factors explaining inequality

The company notes that factors such as digital infrastructure, access to electricity, internet connectivity, digital skills, and the availability of tools in different languages contribute to this gap.

How people use AI at work

The rise in adoption does not mean all users employ the technology in the same way. Data released by OpenAI in August 2026 shows that people are more than twice as likely to use ChatGPT to complete tasks or produce work-related content than for non-work purposes.

Microsoft also found that most workplace AI interactions still involve collaboration or assistance, with fewer than 10% of analyzed interactions fully automating an activity.

AI adoption in Brazilian companies

Another study sheds light on the local situation. The Panorama of AI in Brazil, produced by the Brazilian Observatory of Artificial Intelligence using official data, shows that 17.5% of the country’s companies used AI in 2025.

Among internet users, 32% reported using generative AI tools in the same year. These metrics involve different populations and methodologies and should not be treated as equivalent.

In the job market, this expansion creates a key distinction between simply having access to technology and integrating it into professional activities. For professionals in analysis, communication, programming, research, and other AI-supported fields, mastering these tools becomes essential for adapting to workplace changes.

However, the adoption map indicates that this transformation does not occur at the same pace for everyone. While some countries already have a significant portion of their population engaging with the technology, others still face barriers related to access and infrastructure.