Tajikistan remains at the bottom of the global ranking for the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI). In the first quarter of 2026, 6.1% of the country’s working-age population used generative AI. This is almost three times lower than the global average. These figures are provided in the new report Global AI Diffusion Report by Microsoft.
According to the study, in the first quarter of 2026, the share of generative AI users worldwide grew from 16.3% to 17.8% of the working-age population. Microsoft measures AI diffusion as the proportion of people aged 15 to 64 who used generative AI products during the reporting period.
In Tajikistan, this figure was 6.1%. Compared to the second half of 2025, it increased by 0.5 percentage points, but the country still lags significantly behind both the global average and most of its Central Asian neighbors.
Among the countries in the region, Kazakhstan has the highest rate at 15.9%. It is followed by Kyrgyzstan at 9.5%, Uzbekistan at 7.2%, and both Tajikistan and Turkmenistan at 6.1%. Globally, Tajikistan ranks 145th out of 147 economies, alongside Afghanistan and Turkmenistan.
Central Asia: use of generative AI
Kazakhstan — 15.9% (70th place in the world)
Kyrgyzstan — 9.5% (116th place in the world)
Uzbekistan — 7.2% (142nd place in the world)
Tajikistan — 6.1% (145th place in the world)
Turkmenistan — 6.1% (146th place in the world)
The UAE leads the global ranking, with 70.1% of the working-age population using generative AI. Singapore holds the second position with a rate of 63.4%. The top five also include Norway, Ireland, and France.
Microsoft notes that AI adoption worldwide is uneven. In the Global North, 27.5% of the population uses generative AI, while in the Global South, the figure is 15.4%. The gap between these groups continues to widen.
The company attributes this to differences in internet access, the reliability of power supply, the quality of digital infrastructure, and the level of digital skills.
The report specifically highlights the rapid growth of AI activity in Asia. Microsoft points out that 12 of the 15 fastest-growing AI adoption economies since June 2025 are located in Asia. Among them are Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.
