DUBAI / ISLAMABAD – Pakistan lags much behind while the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Singapore, and Norway have emerged as global leaders in the adoption and integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
It has been revealed by Microsoft’s AI Economy Institute in its newly released “AI Diffusion Report 2025.”
The report, which examines AI development, usage, and integration across 170 countries, highlights that over 50% of the workforce in both the UAE and Singapore regularly uses AI tools in their professional activities — placing these nations at the top of the global rankings.
AI Adoption in Pakistan
In contrast, Pakistan remains far behind in this global race, with less than 15% of its population using AI tools in daily life.
The report notes that limited internet access, lack of digital skills, and **absence of AI tools in local languages are the main factors slowing the country’s progress in this field.
Experts cited in the report explain that countries where people can interact with AI systems in their own languages — such as English or Arabic — are witnessing much faster adoption rates.
Among Muslim-majority countries, the UAE leads the way, followed by Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Qatar, and Indonesia, all of which are making significant investments in AI education, data centers, and government-led innovation programs.
The report also names Israel among the top seven countries developing advanced AI models. It ranks seventh globally, behind the United States, China, South Korea, France, the United Kingdom, and Canada.
While Pakistan is not yet among AI-developing nations, the report suggests that with improved digital literacy, better internet infrastructure, and expanded AI training programs, the country could strengthen its position in the global AI landscape.
The report concludes by calling for international efforts to narrow the growing AI gap between rich and poor nations, ensuring that all countries can benefit equally from this transformative technology.
