- AI adoption varies greatly between countries, creating a growing capability overhang
- Advanced users rely on AI for complex, multi-step tasks instead of prompts
- OpenAI claims that some lower-income countries are using advanced artificial intelligence more than wealthier nations
Artificial intelligence systems are improving rapidly, but adoption across countries is still uneven, new research has claimed.
The findings from OpenAI argue that a growing capacity gap exists between what current AI systems can do and how much of that capacity is actually used by people, businesses and governments.
The company warns that this gap risks allowing a small group of countries to move faster economically and technologically, while others struggle to keep up.
Evidence of uneven adoption across countries
OpenAI frames this as a problem of use rather than access, suggesting that uneven skills, infrastructure and institutional readiness matter as much as model availability.
Data cited by OpenAI indicates that advanced usage differs significantly between users and countries.
Power users rely on stronger reasoning skills to use AI tools for complex multi-step tasks rather than single-step prompts.
Country-level differences show similar variation, with some nations using far more advanced capabilities per person than others.
OpenAI notes that this gap does not correlate with income level, because some countries with lower income levels use advanced AI tools more than some wealthier countries.
OpenAI’s answer to this gap is its Education for Countries program, which aims to integrate artificial intelligence into national education systems.
The initiative focuses on building AI skills among students while providing educators with training and tools to guide responsible use, with early partners including countries across Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and the Caribbean.
OpenAI describes the program as a way to treat AI as essential educational infrastructure and will support research while expanding access to advanced systems.
OpenAI links education efforts to broader national strategies that include workplace adoption, infrastructure development and workforce training.
The company argues that productivity gains depend on scaling enterprise use and improving institutional fluency with AI systems.
New initiatives announced alongside the World Economic Forum extend this approach to areas such as health, disaster preparedness, cyber security and start-up support.
These programs are described as flexible frameworks shaped through discussions with partner governments rather than standardized implementations.
In its own framework, OpenAI positions adoption, skills and infrastructure as necessary complements to advance model capability.
The company’s interpretation is that early action can allow more countries to translate AI advances into tangible economic benefits.
It remains uncertain whether partnerships and wider AI access can reduce structural disparities due to varying governance, funding and policy implementation.
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