Qatar secures top-10 spot in latest Global AI Diffusion ranking
<p>Doha, Qatar: Qatar has maintained its position among the world’s leading economies for artificial intelligence adoption, ranking 10th in Microsoft’s Global AI Diffusion Report for the second quarter of 2026.</p> <p>According to the report, released recently, 43.5% of Qatar’s working-age population (aged 15–64) used a generative AI product during the period, up 1.7 percentage points from 41.8%…
Doha, Qatar has secured the 10th position in Microsoft's latest Global AI Diffusion Report, ranking just behind the Netherlands and ahead of Australia. The report indicates that 43.5% of Qatar's working-age population (aged 15-64) utilized a generative AI product during the second quarter of 2026, marking a 1.7 percentage point increase from 41.8% in the first quarter of the same year.
Ranked just behind the United Arab Emirates, which leads with 73.3% adoption, and ahead of Australia at 40.7%, Qatar's performance is solid, reflecting its consistent presence in the top 10. Other high-ranking economies include Ireland, France, Norway, Spain, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
Microsoft defines AI diffusion as the percentage of people aged 15 to 64 who have used a generative AI product during the reported period. This figure is derived from aggregated and anonymized Microsoft telemetry data, adjusted for variations in device and internet usage across different regions.
Over the past year, Qatar's AI user share has steadily grown from 35.7% in the first half of 2025 to 43.5% in Q2 2026. This steady growth highlights a broader global expansion of generative AI tools, with AI usage reaching 18.8% of the working-age population globally in June 2026, up about one percentage point from the previous quarter.
While Qatar has made significant strides, a notable gap remains between the Global North and the Global South, with AI adoption rates at 28.8% and 16.2%, respectively. South Korea recorded the largest increase (+3.5 percentage points) among major economies, while Saudi Arabia climbed five places in the global ranking. Japan also demonstrated strong relative growth.
Qatar's progress is attributed to national strategies focusing on digital infrastructure, education, and AI integration in education, public services, and the private sector. High internet penetration, a young, digitally engaged population, and government support for technological advancement have contributed to its success. Future reports from Microsoft will likely expand the AI diffusion metric to include a wider range of new AI tools and models.
Written by urgent.news from The Peninsula Qatar's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
