60+ Global AI Usage Statistics For 2026
Share
Share

In this listicle roundup, we break down the most important AI usage statistics you should know for 2026.
These insights show how fast AI is growing, how people use it, and how companies worldwide depend on it for work, automation, and decision-making.
All data points are collected from trusted studies and verified reports, and every source link is added at the end of the article for full transparency.
Global Adoption and Growth of AI
Artificial Intelligence is becoming one of the most widely adopted technologies in history. Businesses around the world are using AI to automate work, improve efficiency, and gain a competitive edge. The data below shows how fast AI is spreading and how it is reshaping business operations and economies worldwide.
- More than 1.1 billion people are expected to use AI by 2031, and almost 78% of companies have already introduced it into their operations, showing how fast the technology is spreading.
- Around 72% of companies use AI in at least one area of their business to improve performance and decision-making.

- Nearly 90% of organizations are already using AI or plan to start soon as part of their digital transformation.
- More than 99% of Fortune 500 companies rely on AI tools to manage operations, customers, or data.
- About 63% of global businesses aim to adopt AI within the next three years, proving that the trend continues to grow.
- A large majority of organizations, about 77%, say that using AI has helped them rethink and redesign their overall business strategies.
- Around 36% of executives use AI mainly to automate and optimize internal processes.

- Many business leaders are changing their hiring approach, with 47% saying they prefer investing in AI tools over adding more employees.
- Economists expect AI to add nearly 7% growth to the global economy within the next decade.
- AI adoption in China could increase the nation’s GDP by as much as 26% by 2030, showing the technology’s strong economic potential.
- As automation grows, studies suggest that AI and machine learning may replace up to 92 million jobs globally by 2030, especially in repetitive and manual roles.
Consumer Behavior and Trust in AI
People around the world are using AI more often in their daily lives, but many still have concerns about privacy, trust, and control. While a growing number of consumers see AI as helpful and time-saving, others worry about misinformation and data safety. The following data explains how people view, trust, and use AI technologies today.
- A large share of consumers, about 54%, are willing to share their anonymized data if it helps improve AI tools and decision-making accuracy.

- About 38% of Americans hold a positive opinion of AI and believe it brings more benefits than risks.
- Nearly 52% of consumers worry about how AI systems handle and protect their personal information.
- Misinformation remains a top concern, with 76% of people saying they are worried about false or misleading content created by AI.
- A majority of 70% of Americans say they have little or no trust in companies to use AI responsibly in their products and services.

- Government oversight also faces doubt, as 62% of Americans say they lack confidence in how authorities regulate AI.
- Many people still see value in AI’s potential, as 58% of users believe it can help deliver more personalized customer experiences.
- Around 65% of consumers trust AI to improve customer service speed and response quality.
- Over half of consumers, about 48%, expect AI to help summarise complex information more effectively.
- Younger users tend to be more open to AI use, with 65% of all AI users belonging to Millennial or Gen Z age groups.
- Among Gen Z users, 52% say they trust AI to help them make better and more informed decisions.

AI in the Workplace and Employee Use
Artificial Intelligence is transforming how employees work, learn, and manage their daily tasks. It helps workers become more productive, reduces manual effort, and supports decision-making. The following data shows how AI is shaping employee experience and workplace efficiency.
- Nearly 94% of workers are familiar with AI technology and understand its use in their professional life.
- Around 62% of employees worldwide believe AI tools will help them increase work efficiency and productivity.
- More than 63% of workers say that using AI makes their jobs more enjoyable and less stressful.
- About 55% of employees report that AI tools help them improve their mental health by reducing routine workload.

- Around 48% of professionals believe that formal AI training would help them use the technology more effectively at work.
- Many employees remain private about their use of AI, as 52% of workers are reluctant to admit using it for key tasks.
- Productivity gains are clear, with 80% of staff who use AI or automation tools saying it has made their work faster and more accurate.

- A Harvard study found that workers using AI completed tasks 25% faster, produced 12% more output, and achieved 40% higher quality results.
- The same study showed that less-experienced employees benefited the most, with performance improving by 35% after using AI tools.
Business Adoption and Leadership Insights on AI
AI has become a key part of business strategy for many organizations. Leaders across industries are investing in AI to improve decision-making, reduce costs, and stay competitive. The data below shows how executives and companies are managing AI adoption and planning for the future.
- A growing number of business leaders, around 79%, say their company must adopt AI to remain competitive in their market.

- AI spending is increasing, with 78% of leaders planning to raise their AI budgets in the next fiscal year.
- Among technical professionals, 86% show strong interest in generative AI, while 59% of C-suite executives share the same enthusiasm.
- Leadership responsibility is shifting, as 28% of organizations have their CEO directly oversee AI governance and policy.
- Workforce development is becoming a priority, with 29% of companies reporting that at least one-quarter of their employees have received AI or generative AI training.

- Small businesses are joining the trend, with 57% already using AI for marketing tasks such as ad targeting and campaign analysis.
- Time savings are a major driver for adoption, as 61% of small business owners say AI helps them manage their workload more efficiently.
- Many smaller firms also use AI for creative work, with 52% applying it for content creation and design.
- Marketing automation has become a common goal, with 31% of small businesses using AI to automate promotions and outreach.

- Business leaders see clear benefits, as 44% report improved productivity after adding AI to their operations.
- Improving customer experience remains a core goal, and 83% of businesses say they use AI to enhance user satisfaction and personalization.
Conversational AI, Chatbots, and Voice Assistants
Conversational AI has become one of the most popular uses of artificial intelligence in both business and personal life. Companies use chatbots to improve customer support, while consumers rely on voice assistants for daily tasks. The following data highlights how conversational AI is used across industries and regions.
- Around 56% of companies are investing in conversational AI to provide faster, real-time customer support.
- Businesses see strong value in speed, with 47% identifying quicker customer service as the top benefit of using AI chatbots.
- AI-powered chatbots now handle simple requests for most users, and 80% of consumers prefer using them for routine tasks such as booking or account checks.
- When asked about service preferences, 57% of consumers said they favor chatbot interactions, while the remaining 43% still prefer human assistance.

- Many telecom providers rely on conversational AI, as 52% of telephone companies use AI chatbots and 29% use advanced conversational AI for support.
- In marketing, B2B professionals use chatbots for several purposes: 57% to understand their audience better, 55% to generate new leads, and 42% to qualify or segment prospects.

- AI also helps improve client engagement, with 42% of B2B marketers using chatbots to build stronger customer relationships.
- Virtual assistants remain popular worldwide. In the United States, Alexa is used by 34% of users, Siri by 27%, and Google Assistant by 31%.
- In the United Kingdom, Alexa leads with 46% usage, followed by Siri at 26% and Google Assistant at 24%.
- In Germany, Alexa holds 31%, Siri 19%, and Google Assistant 22% of user preference.

- Weekly usage of voice assistants is also growing, with 21% of users using them as part of their regular habits.
- Age plays a major role in adoption. Among users aged 18–25 years, around 25.3% use virtual assistants weekly, compared to 14% among those aged 41–60 years.
- Voice technology continues to dominate mobile usage, as 97% of smartphone users use AI-powered voice assistants at least once.
Generative AI Adoption and Content Creation
Generative AI is one of the fastest-growing areas in technology. It powers tools that create text, images, videos, and even code. People use it for creative projects, professional work, and automation. The following data explains how generative AI is being adopted and how it impacts digital content creation across the world.
- Generative AI is growing at an unmatched pace, with more than 15 billion AI-generated images created since 2022.
- Every day, users create around 34 million new AI images, showing massive demand for visual content automation.
- Most AI-generated visuals come from open-source tools, as about 80% of all AI images are made using platforms based on Stable Diffusion.
- Adobe’s generative platform Firefly alone has produced over 7 billion images since its launch in 2023.
- Generative AI reached 15 billion images in just 1.5 years, while traditional photography took almost 149 years to reach the same number.
- In the United States, about 53% of people have tried generative AI, using it mainly for personal tasks (81%), work (30%), and education (17%).
- Adoption rates differ globally. India leads with 73% of people using generative AI, followed by Australia (49%), the United States (45%), and the United Kingdom (29%).

- The creative industry depends heavily on AI, with 85.1% of users using it to produce blog content and other marketing materials.
- Generative AI also plays a large role in marketing, where 45% of professionals use it for data analysis, 40% for market research, and 27% for writing ad copy.
- Many marketers rely on AI for visuals, as 22% use it for image creation and 13% for customer service content.

- Businesses report strong returns, with 74% of companies already seeing ROI from at least one generative AI project, while another 30–35% expect returns within a year.
- Security remains a concern, as companies list hallucinations (56%), cybersecurity risks (53%), and intellectual property issues (46%) among their top challenges.
- Ethical worries are also high, with 72% of users ranking data privacy as their main concern and 47% mentioning lack of transparency as a major issue.

Industry-Wise AI Adoption and Use Cases
AI adoption varies across industries, but nearly every sector is finding new ways to use it for automation, product development, and customer engagement. From marketing and finance to healthcare and retail, AI continues to shape how organizations operate and deliver value. The following data highlights how different industries use AI.
- In marketing and sales, about 42% of departments use generative AI regularly, and this rate increases to 55% in technology companies.
- Product and service development follows closely, with around 28% of departments applying AI for research, innovation, and feature planning.

- Among marketing professionals, 55% report using ChatGPT regularly, followed by 42% using Copy.AI, 36% using Jasper.AI, 25% using DALL-E, and 24% using Midjourney for creative tasks.

- The financial services industry is integrating AI quickly, with more than 3 in 10 companies using it in product development and customer analytics.
- The healthcare sector is also advancing, with over 70% of organizations (including hospitals, payers, and tech providers) already implementing or testing generative AI capabilities.
- Telecommunication companies depend on AI chatbots for better support, as 52% use them for customer service and another 29% rely on conversational AI for voice-based help.
- In education, around 79% of college students report that their instructors have discussed the ethics and usage of AI tools in class.

- The retail sector in the UK shows high interest in automation, with 90% of retailers exploring AI agents and one-third already implementing them in their operations.
- Within software development, nearly 95% of developers use AI to generate or fix code, showing strong adoption in the tech workforce.
- Across the telecom, finance, and healthcare industries, most companies focus on using AI for data governance (46%) and risk compliance (57%) to ensure safe and reliable operations.

- Businesses in customer service and operations report the biggest benefits, with 78% achieving better flexibility and 72% improving transparency and compliance through AI tools.
AI Tool Popularity and Platform Usage
AI platforms and tools have become an essential part of daily digital work. From content creation to software development, millions of users now depend on leading AI tools to complete tasks faster and with greater accuracy. The following data highlights which platforms and models dominate global usage.
- ChatGPT continues to lead the market, reaching 1 million users within five days of its launch, making it the fastest-growing app in history.
- The platform’s popularity remains strong, with ChatGPT.com receiving over 5.4 billion monthly visits, ranking it the 5th most visited website globally.
- OpenAI.com, which powers ChatGPT, receives around 938 million monthly visits, reflecting widespread business and developer engagement.
- According to a usage study, ChatGPT holds 40.5% of the global AI tool market share, followed by DeepSeek at 17.6%, Google Gemini at 9.6%, Duobao at 8.9%, and Pixverse at 6.2%.
- Other tools like Takie (4.7%), Nova (4.3%), Microsoft Copilot (2.8%), and Character.AI (2.8%) are also gaining steady adoption.

- In the tech field, nearly 90% of workers now use AI tools for coding, debugging, and software creation, compared to only 14% the year before.
- Developers show high dependence on AI assistants, with Sourcegraph data confirming that 95% of them use AI to generate or fix code during software development.
- Voice assistants are also widely used, with 97% of smartphone users relying on them for tasks such as calls, reminders, or information searches.
- AI usage is increasing in daily habits, as 35.5% of people now use AI tools every day, and 84.6% report that their AI usage has grown over the past 12 months.

- Overall, the data shows that almost 90% of all users in both personal and professional roles either use AI tools or plan to start soon.
AI Productivity, ROI, and Economic Impact
AI is creating measurable results for companies by improving speed, accuracy, and decision-making. It helps organizations reduce costs and raise productivity while delivering positive returns on investment. The following data explains how AI is driving business growth and economic performance worldwide.
- A strong majority of organizations, about 97% of senior business leaders, report a positive return on investment from their AI projects.
- Companies that have adopted AI tools show visible gains, with 44% of business leaders confirming increased productivity in their operations.
- Across industries, 74% of institutions are already seeing ROI from at least one generative AI use case, while another 30–35% expect results within a year.
- For many companies, success is measured by impact, and 50% of executives say that achieving ROI is their top indicator of AI project success.
- The benefits of AI go beyond profits, as 78% of organizations report greater flexibility and higher service quality after adopting AI.
- Many firms also note operational improvements, with 72% saying that AI tools strengthened transparency, sustainability, and regulatory compliance.
- Employees using AI tools show clear performance growth, with studies proving 25% faster task completion and 40% better work quality when AI assists them.
- AI helps businesses save costs, as AI agents have been shown to raise productivity by 55% while cutting operational expenses by 35%.

- In economic terms, AI is a major growth driver, and experts predict that its adoption will boost the global economy by 7% within the next decade.
- The effect is even stronger in certain regions, as AI adoption in China could increase the country’s GDP by 26% by 2030, marking one of the largest national gains.
- The entertainment and technology sectors also report major cost savings, with Netflix alone saving $1 billion after integrating machine learning to improve recommendations.
AI Challenges, Risks, and Ethical Concerns
While AI brings efficiency and innovation, it also introduces challenges related to accuracy, data safety, cost, and ethics. Many organizations and users remain cautious about its limitations and long-term effects. The following data explains the key issues that affect AI adoption and trust across industries.
- Accuracy remains a major concern, as 56% of companies say that incorrect or unreliable AI results are their biggest challenge.
- Despite these worries, only 32% of businesses have developed systems to manage or correct AI inaccuracies.
- A shortage of skilled professionals continues to slow progress, with 59% of organizations saying that a lack of data science expertise prevents them from using AI effectively.
- Many companies also face financial challenges, with 40% of executives identifying the high cost of AI tools and implementation as a major barrier.
- Data privacy is one of the most discussed topics, and 22% of company executives consider it their top ethical concern.

- Among generative AI users, 72% rank data privacy as one of their top three worries, and 40% list it as their number one concern.
- Lack of transparency is another issue, as 47% of respondents say it is among their top ethical priorities, and 3 in 4 CEOs express concern about how little visibility exists in the AI market.
- Bias and misinformation also remain critical risks, with 63% of people saying they fear AI-generated content may contain inaccuracies or unfair perspectives.
- In the healthcare field, 59% of users hesitate to trust AI for medical tasks like diagnosis or decision-making.
- Technical leaders cite hallucinations (56%), cybersecurity risks (53%), and intellectual property issues (46%) as major concerns affecting AI reliability.

- Many organizations admit they are still learning, with 40% of AI users saying their current data management practices need improvement.
- Ethical use remains a key topic of discussion, as 77% of businesses say AI adoption has forced them to rethink their strategies and adapt new governance measures.

👉 Explore other statistical roundup articles from Tenet:
- AI Agents Statistics: Usage, ROI, & Industry Trends
- AI in SEO statistics
- LLM Usage Statistics: Adoption, Tools, and Future
- Blackbox AI Users and Revenue Statistics
Final words: What’s next for you?
AI adoption will continue to grow in every industry, and the data in this roundup shows how fast the world is moving. The next step for you is to stay updated, test new AI tools, and build the skills that match this rapid shift. Whether you use AI for content, automation, analytics, or decision making, the smartest move now is to learn, experiment, and adapt early.
As new models, regulations, and use cases emerge, the people and businesses who understand these trends will stay ahead. Use this data as your starting point to explore what AI can do for your work, your team, and your long-term goals.
Data Sources
- https://www.statista.com/forecasts/1449844/ai-tool-users-worldwide
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/1614048/ai-capabilities-writing-news-articles-us/
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/1454204/united-states-generative-ai-primary-usage-online
- https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insights/the-state-of-ai-2024
- https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/bo/Documents/consultoria/2025/state-of-gen-ai-report-wave-4.pdf
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/1610034/worldwide-trained-workforce-ai-genai/
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/1609336/worldwide-b2b-ai-usage-in-cx/
- https://www.deloittedigital.com/content/dam/digital/global/documents/insights-20240711-gcs-survey-report.pdf
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/1609859/brand-advantages-using-artificial-intelligence-ai-consumers/
- https://journal.everypixel.com/ai-image-statistics
- https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/wearable-ai-global-market-report
- https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/ai-at-work-is-here-now-comes-the-hard-part
- https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/superagency-in-the-workplace-empowering-people-to-unlock-ais-full-potential-at-work
- https://charityvillage.com/global-workforce-hopes-and-fears-survey-2024-workers-embracing-ai-and-prioritizing-skills-growth-amid-rising-workloads/
- https://fii-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/AI-Impact-Report-2024.pdf
- https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/artificial-intelligence-consumer-sentiment/
- https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2025/04/03/views-of-risks-opportunities-and-regulation-of-ai/
- https://www.statista.com/chart/29174/time-to-one-million-users/
- https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/healthcare/our-insights/generative-ai-in-healthcare-adoption-trends-and-whats-next
- https://www.pwc.com/us/en/services/consulting/library/artificial-intelligence-predictions/responsible-ai.html
- https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/ai-statistics/
- https://news.adobe.com/news/news-details/2024/adobe-introduces-firefly-image-3-foundation-model-to-take-creative-exploration-and-ideation-to-new-heights
- https://localiq.com/blog/small-business-marketing-trends-report/
- https://www.thomsonreuters.com/content/dam/ewp-m/documents/thomsonreuters/en/pdf/reports/2025-generative-ai-in-professional-services-report-tr5433489-rgb.pdf
- https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/10/18/key-findings-about-americans-and-data-privacy/
- https://analytics.explodingtopics.com/website/openai.com
- https://edition.cnn.com/2025/09/23/tech/google-study-90-percent-tech-jobs-ai
- https://www.weforum.org/press/2025/01/future-of-jobs-report-2025-78-million-new-job-opportunities-by-2030-but-urgent-upskilling-needed-to-prepare-workforces/
- https://fortune.com/2025/09/24/gen-z-fear-ai-jobs-hiring-entry-level-very-concerned/
- https://www.authorityhacker.com/ai-statistics/
- https://www.investopedia.com/majority-of-american-workers-are-using-ai-at-work-survey-finds-7969131
- https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2023/02/15/public-awareness-of-artificial-intelligence-in-everyday-activities/
- https://www.crossrivertherapy.com/research/artificial-intelligence-statistics
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2024/02/05/the-real-ai-productivity-boom-is-years-away-what-can-you-expect-now/
- https://www.cmswire.com/customer-experience/10-ai-customer-experience-statistics-you-should-know-about/
- https://tech.co/news/businesses-consider-ai-over-new-hires
- https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/the-economic-potential-of-generative-ai-the-next-productivity-frontier
- https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2023-09-18-gartner-survey-revealed-34-percent-of-organizations-are-already-using-or-implementing-ai-application-security-tools
- https://www2.deloitte.com/xe/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/securing-the-future/ai-in-cybersecurity.html
- https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/artificial-intelligence-cybersecurity-market-report
- https://hbr.org/2018/01/artificial-intelligence-for-the-real-world
- https://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/analyst-comment/asimov-hippocratic-oath-ai-healthcare/
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/1554189/top-gen-ai-apps-by-downloads/
- https://www.bain.com/insights/ai-survey-never-mind-the-skeptics-interactive/
- https://wp.technologyreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/MITTR-x-Boomi_final_19jul2024.pdf
- https://www.salesforce.com/news/stories/generative-ai-statistics/
- https://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2024/04/22/age-generative-ai-over-half-americans-have-used-generative-ai-most-believe-will-help-them-be-more-creative
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/08/04/chatgpt-use-real-ai-chatbot-conversations/
- https://www.accaglobal.com/gb/en/professional-insights/technology/digital-horizons.html
- https://go.thoughtspot.com/white-paper-economist-ai-future-of-financial-services.html
- https://cloud.google.com/resources/roi-of-generative-ai
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/1407459/generative-ai-use-risks-worldwide/
- https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/about-deloitte/tte-annual-report-2024.pdf
- https://martech.org/data-analysis-and-market-research-top-list-of-ai-use-cases/
- https://www.liveperson.com/customer-conversations-report/
- https://www.ibm.com/watson/resources/ai-adoption
- https://slack.com/blog/news/new-slack-research-shows-accelerating-ai-use-at-work
- https://www.nber.org/digest/20236/measuring-productivity-impact-generative-ai
- https://www.ey.com/en_us/newsroom/2024/12/ey-research-artificial-intelligence-investments-set-to-remain-strong-in-2025-but-senior-leaders-recognize-emerging-risks
- https://www.aiprm.com/ai-statistics/
- https://explodingtopics.com/blog/ai-workforce-research
- https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en_us/about/doing_business/trust-center/docs/cisco-consumer-privacy-report-2023.pdf
- https://nypost.com/2024/08/07/us-news/rise-of-ai-makes-americans-feel-less-scam-savvy-survey/
- https://www.bestcolleges.com/research/most-college-students-have-used-ai-survey/
Expertise Delivered Straight to Your Inbox
Expertise Delivered Straight to Your Inbox
Got an idea on your mind?
We’d love to hear about your brand, your visions, current challenges, even if you’re not sure what your next step is.
Let’s talk



























