Dubai, November 3, 2025 — The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Singapore, and Norway have emerged as global front-runners in artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, according to Microsoft’s AI Economy Institute’s AI Diffusion Report 2025. The study, which assessed AI integration across 170 countries, reveals stark contrasts in how nations are leveraging AI across workplaces, education, and public services.
More than 50% of the working-age population in the UAE and Singapore now use AI tools regularly, placing them at the top of the global rankings. In contrast, Pakistan remains among the lowest-ranking nations, with AI adoption below 15%, reflecting major gaps in digital literacy, internet access, and the availability of AI tools in local languages.
Experts note that countries providing AI accessibility in widely spoken languages—such as English and Arabic—have achieved faster uptake and broader integration across sectors.
Among Muslim-majority nations, the UAE leads globally, followed by Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Qatar, and Indonesia, each accelerating AI-driven initiatives through education programs, data center investments, and government-backed digital strategies.
Meanwhile, Israel ranks among the world’s top seven AI frontier nations, joining the United States, China, South Korea, France, the United Kingdom, and Canada as leaders in developing and training advanced AI models.
Though Pakistan is not yet part of the AI-producing group, analysts believe it holds potential to close the gap by investing in education, digital infrastructure, and local-language AI development. The report likens AI’s transformative power to that of electricity and the internet, emphasizing that its full impact will depend on equitable global accessibility.
The study concludes with a call for international cooperation to bridge the AI divide between developed and developing nations, ensuring that AI’s benefits are shared inclusively across all economies.
