As AI turns into extra ubiquitous, reviews present rising gaps each in digital expertise and entry to sources wanted to thrive on this new world. The speedy scale and tempo of change additionally make it extra vital to know not simply who’s adopting new applied sciences, however how we’re utilizing them and who is actually benefiting.
Addressing these challenges is central to the work of Cisco’s Digital Influence Workplace, which is devoted to increasing digital inclusion and connecting extra folks to the worldwide digital financial system. As a part of our dedication, we additionally partnered with the Organisation for Financial Cooperation and Improvement (OECD) to create the Digital Properly-being Hub, which dives deeper into the complicated relationships between AI and digitization in addition to their influence on folks’s lives and well-being.
These are just a few of the findings from the research. 1 2
Rising economies lead the cost in AI adoption
Younger adults underneath 35 are probably the most lively customers of digital know-how worldwide. In rising economies surveyed — India, Brazil, Mexico, and South Africa — this engagement is particularly robust. That is partly attributable to youthful demographics in these areas; a big share of the inhabitants is underneath 35, and Africa, for instance, has a median age of simply 19. Younger adults in these international locations are adopting AI applied sciences, constructing expertise, and getting ready for AI-related careers at exceptional charges, in comparison with their friends within the 10 different international locations we studied.
This progress is particularly spectacular as a result of these international locations have traditionally confronted main obstacles to digital adoption, typically falling behind extra economically developed nations in entry, infrastructure, and digital expertise. The 2025 World Financial Discussion board’s World Dangers Report highlights that rising economies can bypass conventional phases of know-how adoption by embracing superior digital instruments and infrastructure, a dynamic also known as leapfrogging. Youthful populations in these areas can speed up this progress, serving to to slender the digital divide and form the way forward for digital innovation.
From generative AI to technology AI
We’re seeing a transparent generational divide in the case of AI. Adults over 45 are a lot much less doubtless to make use of AI of their every day lives, and greater than half don’t use it in any respect. In addition they present decrease charges of AI coaching, with many having no plans to be taught extra as they become old. In distinction, youthful adults surveyed are embracing AI at exceptional charges. Greater than half of adults underneath 35 actively use AI, over 75% see its worth, and almost half of these aged 26 to 35 have already accomplished some type of AI coaching.
In relation to belief, older adults are additionally much less more likely to say they belief AI. However curiously, many over 55 don’t categorical outright mistrust — they merely say they’re not sure. This distinction issues, as a result of belief is a uniquely human idea and will not be the perfect benchmark for our relationship with know-how. Typically, this uncertainty can come from an absence of familiarity moderately than true resistance or rejection. That is one thing many can relate to, and it’s one thing we will deal with collectively by making AI extra approachable for everybody.
Earlier Cisco analysis signifies that generational variations in AI readiness can grow to be an organizational problem with AI adoption. Since AI success hinges on a talented workforce, firms with the next proportion of staff who’re unfamiliar or untrained in AI will battle to transition from pilot packages to manufacturing. Based on the 2025 Cisco AI Readiness Index, solely 14% of organizations worldwide are absolutely ready to scale AI responsibly, with the largest barrier being an absence of AI-skilled expertise. The businesses that are already seeing actual outcomes are 4 instances extra more likely to transfer AI pilots into manufacturing, 50% extra more likely to notice worth, and considerably outperform friends in income beneficial properties and ROI.
Closing the gaps
This want for organizational readiness is a part of a much wider transformation underway within the workforce. The job market is experiencing a seismic shift. Based on the most recent Way forward for Jobs Report from the World Financial Discussion board, by 2030, 170 million new jobs are anticipated to emerge, and 92 million jobs might be displaced. We’re already beginning to see expertise disruption. Cisco leads the AI Workforce Consortium to handle AI’s influence on the ICT workforce, working alongside companions like Microsoft, Google, IBM, and different world leaders. Our reporting so far has projected that 90% of ICT roles will expertise average or excessive transformation, and that AI roles at the moment are driving tech market progress. And the stakes are excessive: the World Financial Discussion board initiatives it can value G20 international locations $11.5 trillion of cumulative GDP progress by 2028 if digital expertise gaps will not be addressed.
These expertise tendencies are exactly why Cisco has made skilling central to our innovation technique, and why our Consortium of worldwide business leaders has dedicated to upskilling and reskilling 95 million people worldwide over the subsequent decade. On the coronary heart of this effort is the Cisco Networking Academy, our flagship skilling program that provides free coaching to anybody with web entry. Since 1997, we have helped 28 million learners throughout 190 international locations construct the abilities they want for the digital future.
The results of connection
As with every know-how, we want to consider its influence on our well-being. The OECD and Cisco analysis suggests that in rising economies main in AI adoption, younger adults have the best leisure display screen time, together with digital-only socializing, and sometimes really feel stronger emotional highs and lows from know-how.
Moreover, the analysis reveals a “Goldilocks impact”: well-being is highest with average display screen time (1–3 hours a day) however drops with each an excessive amount of and too little. Actually, folks with no display screen time report the bottom life satisfaction, suggesting that some digital engagement is now necessary for wellbeing.
On the identical time, the analysis reveals components like sleep, monetary stability, and bodily exercise matter much more for well-being than display screen time itself. As digital and real-life mix collectively, we want to ensure know-how helps — not harms — our well being and happiness.
Guaranteeing AI advantages everybody, in every single place
A key mark of success for AI and digital transformation ought to not simply be how shortly know-how is adopted, however whether or not it genuinely improves lives throughout all ages, backgrounds, and geographies. Reaching this requires robust partnerships. Our collaboration with the OECD is a main instance, offering important steering to bridge digital expertise gaps, advance digital literacy for all ages, and be certain that well-being stays on the coronary heart of innovation. Collectively, throughout academia, authorities, and business, we will create a digital future that’s inclusive and wholesome for everybody.
Go to the Digital Properly-being Hub to discover our partnership and be taught how one can assist construct a extra resilient and inclusive digital world.
