An estimated 18.8% of the world’s working-age population used a generative AI product in the second quarter of 2026, up from 17.8% in the first quarter, according to Microsoft’s September Global AI Diffusion Report. The company put usage at 28.8% in the Global North and 16.2% in the Global South.
How Microsoft estimates usage
The measure covers people aged 15 to 64 who used a generative AI product during the reporting period. Microsoft starts with anonymised, aggregated data from its systems and adjusts for differences in device and operating system shares, internet access and population. The estimate reflects which tools Microsoft tracks, and the company says it plans to expand that coverage.
What the data can tell us about Uganda
Microsoft’s separate first-quarter report estimated Uganda’s usage at 7.6%, up from 6.8% in the second half of 2025. The Ugandan figure refers to the first quarter, while the global figure above covers the second.
These estimates track whether people used a tool during the period. How often they return, what they use it for and whether the tool works well in their preferred language remain open questions for researchers and businesses looking at adoption in Uganda.
