• South Africa leads Africa in generative AI use, Microsoft reports
• 21.19% of South Africans used generative AI tools in 2025
• Adoption gap widens between digital North and global South

South Africa is the leading African nation for the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) solutions, according to a report published on Jan. 8, 2026, by American technology giant Microsoft.

The report, titled "Global AI Adoption in 2025 – A Widening Digital Divide," measures the proportion of the population that used generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, or Copilot during the past year. It is based on telemetry data from the publisher.

South Africa is among the countries where generative AI adoption is relatively well-established. During the second half of the past year, 21.19% of its population aged 15 to 64 used this technology.

Namibia holds the second position on the continent with an adoption rate of 13.80%. It is followed by Libya at 13.70%, Botswana at 13.70%, Gabon at 13.40%, Egypt at 13.40%, Senegal at 12.90%, Tunisia at 12.70%, and Zambia at 12.30%. Algeria concludes the African top 10, with 12% of its population using generative AI solutions.

On a global scale, the use of generative AI tools rose from an average of 15.1% of the total population in the first half of 2025 to 16.3% in the second half. This means that nearly one in six people worldwide used the technology by the end of the year.

Countries that invested early in digital infrastructure, AI skills, and public sector adoption continue to lead the rankings. The United Arab Emirates remains the global leader in generative AI adoption, with 64% of its population using the technology. Singapore follows at 60.90%, Norway at 46.40%, Ireland at 44.60%, and France at 44%.

DeepSeek Gains Ground in Africa

Despite the general growth in adoption globally, the report highlights significant regional disparities. The gap is widening between the wealthier and more digitized countries of the North, where the generative AI adoption rate averaged 24.7% at the end of 2025, and countries of the South, which show an average rate of 14.1%.

Microsoft also notes that the Chinese AI platform DeepSeek has seen considerable success in markets long neglected by traditional providers. Its adoption was strongest in China, Russia, and Belarus, with market shares ranging from 43% to 89%. DeepSeek is also enjoying growing popularity in Africa. The free platform already holds market shares ranging from 16% to 20% in five African countries: Ethiopia, Tunisia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Madagascar. Its adoption remained low in North America and Europe.

Several factors explain the rise of DeepSeek. The free service of the platform eliminated financial barriers, such as credit cards or paid upgrades, associated with Western AI models. Additionally, Chinese technology companies, specifically DeepSeek and its infrastructure partners such as Huawei, have actively promoted and deployed the platform in African markets. This has been achieved through strategic partnerships, awareness campaigns, and integration with telecommunications services.

This momentum shows that DeepSeek has lowered entry barriers for millions of people. It suggests that the next billion AI users could emerge from the global South rather than traditional technology hubs, driven by open-source innovation.

Walid Kéfi