As AI turns into extra ubiquitous, stories present rising gaps each in digital expertise and entry to sources wanted to thrive on this new world. The fast scale and tempo of change additionally make it extra important 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 Affect 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 Nicely-being Hub, which dives deeper into the complicated relationships between AI and digitization in addition to their affect 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 essentially the most lively customers of digital know-how worldwide. In rising economies surveyed — India, Brazil, Mexico, and South Africa — this engagement is very robust. That is partly resulting from youthful demographics in these areas; a major share of the inhabitants is underneath 35, and Africa, for instance, has a median age of simply 19. Younger adults in these nations are adopting AI applied sciences, constructing expertise, and getting ready for AI-related careers at outstanding charges, in comparison with their friends within the 10 different nations we studied.
This progress is very spectacular as a result of these nations have traditionally confronted main limitations 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 sometimes called leapfrogging. Youthful populations in these areas can speed up this progress, serving to to slim the digital divide and form the way forward for digital innovation.
From generative AI to era AI
We’re seeing a transparent generational divide in relation to AI. Adults over 45 are a lot much less probably to make use of AI of their every day lives, and greater than half don’t use it in any respect. Additionally they present decrease charges of AI coaching, with many having no plans to study extra as they become older. In distinction, youthful adults surveyed are embracing AI at outstanding 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 the case of belief, older adults are additionally much less prone to say they belief AI. However apparently, many over 55 don’t specific outright mistrust — they merely say they’re not sure. This distinction issues, as a result of belief is a uniquely human idea and might not be the perfect benchmark for our relationship with know-how. Typically, this uncertainty can come from an absence of familiarity slightly than true resistance or rejection. That is one thing many can relate to, and it’s one thing we will tackle collectively by making AI extra approachable for everybody.
Earlier Cisco analysis signifies that generational variations in AI readiness can develop into 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. In response to the 2025 Cisco AI Readiness Index, solely 14% of organizations worldwide are totally 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 prone to transfer AI pilots into manufacturing, 50% extra prone to understand 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. In response to the newest 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 will likely be displaced. We’re already beginning to see expertise disruption. Cisco leads the AI Workforce Consortium to handle AI’s affect on the ICT workforce, working alongside companions like Microsoft, Google, IBM, and different world leaders. Our reporting to this point has projected that 90% of ICT roles will expertise average or excessive transformation, and that AI roles are actually driving tech market development. And the stakes are excessive: the World Financial Discussion board initiatives it is going to price G20 nations $11.5 trillion of cumulative GDP development by 2028 if digital expertise gaps should not addressed.
These expertise traits are exactly why Cisco has made skilling central to our innovation technique, and why our Consortium of worldwide trade leaders has dedicated to upskilling and reskilling 95 million people worldwide over the following decade. On the coronary heart of this effort is the Cisco Networking Academy, our flagship skilling program that gives free coaching to anybody with web entry. Since 1997, we have helped 28 million learners throughout 190 nations construct the talents they want for the digital future.
The results of connection
As with every know-how, we’d like to consider its affect 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 exhibits 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 similar time, the analysis exhibits elements 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’d like to ensure know-how helps — not harms — our well being and happiness.
Making certain AI advantages everybody, in all places
A key mark of success for AI and digital transformation ought to not simply be how rapidly know-how is adopted, however whether or not it genuinely improves lives throughout all ages, backgrounds, and geographies. Attaining this requires robust partnerships. Our collaboration with the OECD is a first-rate instance, offering important steerage to bridge digital expertise gaps, advance digital literacy for all ages, and be sure that well-being stays on the coronary heart of innovation. Collectively, throughout academia, authorities, and trade, we will create a digital future that’s inclusive and wholesome for everybody.
Go to the Digital Nicely-being Hub to discover our partnership and study how one can assist construct a extra resilient and inclusive digital world.
