As AI turns into extra ubiquitous, experiences present rising gaps each in digital abilities and entry to sources wanted to thrive on this new world. The speedy scale and tempo of change additionally make it extra important to grasp not simply who’s adopting new applied sciences, however how we’re utilizing them and who is really 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 economic 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 a number of of the findings from the research. 1 2
Rising economies lead the cost in AI adoption
Younger adults below 35 are essentially the most energetic customers of digital know-how worldwide. In rising economies surveyed — India, Brazil, Mexico, and South Africa — this engagement is very sturdy. That is partly because of youthful demographics in these areas; a big share of the inhabitants is below 35, and Africa, for instance, has a median age of simply 19. Younger adults in these international locations are adopting AI applied sciences, constructing abilities, and making ready for AI-related careers at exceptional charges, in comparison with their friends within the 10 different international locations we studied.
This progress is very 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 abilities. The 2025 World Financial Discussion board’s World Dangers Report highlights that rising economies can bypass conventional levels 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 slim the digital divide and form the way forward for digital innovation.
From generative AI to technology AI
We’re seeing a transparent generational divide on the subject of AI. Adults over 45 are a lot much less probably to make use of AI of their day by 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 study extra as they become older. In distinction, youthful adults surveyed are embracing AI at exceptional charges. Greater than half of adults below 35 actively use AI, over 75% see its worth, and practically half of these aged 26 to 35 have already accomplished some type of AI coaching.
On the subject of belief, older adults are additionally much less prone to say they belief AI. However apparently, 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 most effective benchmark for our relationship with know-how. Usually, 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, corporations with the next proportion of staff who’re unfamiliar or untrained in AI will wrestle to transition from pilot applications to manufacturing. In response to 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 occasions extra prone to transfer AI pilots into manufacturing, 50% extra prone to notice worth, and considerably outperform friends in income features and ROI.
Closing the gaps
This want for organizational readiness is a part of a 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 shall be displaced. We’re already beginning to see abilities disruption. Cisco leads the AI Workforce Consortium to deal with AI’s influence on the ICT workforce, working alongside companions like Microsoft, Google, IBM, and different international leaders. Our reporting so far has projected that 90% of ICT roles will expertise reasonable or excessive transformation, and that AI roles at the moment are driving tech market development. And the stakes are excessive: the World Financial Discussion board initiatives it’ll value G20 international locations $11.5 trillion of cumulative GDP development by 2028 if digital abilities gaps usually are not addressed.
These abilities tendencies are exactly why Cisco has made skilling central to our innovation technique, and why our Consortium of world 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 gives free coaching to anybody with web entry. Since 1997, we have helped 28 million learners throughout 190 international locations construct the talents they want for the digital future.
The results of connection
As with all know-how, we’d like 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 reasonable display screen time (1–3 hours a day) however drops with each an excessive amount of and too little. In truth, 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 reveals 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 verify know-how helps — not harms — our well being and happiness.
Making certain AI advantages everybody, in every single place
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 sturdy partnerships. Our collaboration with the OECD is a primary instance, offering important steering to bridge digital abilities gaps, advance digital literacy for all ages, and make sure 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 study how one can assist construct a extra resilient and inclusive digital world.