Youth Pulse 2026

AI adoption and usage FIGURE 10 How are you currently engaging with AI tools? 33.1% 3.7%I occasionally use AI tools and learn informally (e.g. through videos or articles)2.6% 1.3% I am enrolled in a course or formal training on AI toolsI have not used any AI tools yet, but I plan to in the near future I have not used any AI tools and do not plan to in the near future 59.2% I regularly use AI tools and actively seek to improve my skills Across all regions and genders, AI engagement among young professionals is high – signalling that this generation is driving a truly global wave of technological adoption. Regular use is most widespread in North and East Asia (69%), the Middle East and North Africa (66%), and Sub- Saharan Africa (63%), while rates in North America and the Caribbean, though slightly lower, continue to grow rapidly. This narrowing regional gap highlights a promising trend: young people everywhere are becoming active participants in the AI economy, even in places where access to digital infrastructure has historically lagged. Survey findings show minimal gender disparity in AI adoption: young women and men are engaging with AI tools at nearly equal rates, reflecting a generation-wide embrace of digital innovation.AI adoption spreading across all regions and genders Youth Pulse 2026: Insights from the next generation for a changing world 24