Stanford 2026 AI Index: Over Half the World Now Uses AI, Adoption Outpaces Internet Growth
Stanford University's 2026 AI Index reports that more than half the global population now uses artificial intelligence, and 88 percent of organizations have integrated AI into their operations. The report says AI adoption is moving faster than the spread of personal computers or the internet.
More than half the global population now uses artificial intelligence, and 88 percent of organizations have integrated AI into their operations, according to Stanford University's 2026 AI Index released in April. The report says AI adoption is moving faster than the spread of personal computers or the internet.
The index tracks AI development across research, industry, policy, and public perception. It found that AI models have improved dramatically in the past year. AI systems achieved near-perfect scores on software engineering benchmarks in 2025, up from 60 percent accuracy in 2024. One AI system successfully produced a weather forecast in 2025, a task previously considered too complex for machines.
The US and China are nearly tied in AI model performance. The US leads in AI models, capital investment, and data centers. China leads in AI research publications, patents, and robotics development.
The report raises concerns about transparency. Major AI companies including OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google have become less open about their training methods, parameter counts, and data sources. Researchers say this makes independent safety research more difficult.
AI is beginning to affect employment. Software development jobs for workers aged 22 to 25 have fallen nearly 20 percent since 2022. A 2025 McKinsey survey found that a third of organizations expect AI to shrink their workforce, particularly in service roles, supply chain operations, and software engineering.
Public opinion on AI is mixed. Globally, 59 percent of people believe AI will offer more benefits than drawbacks. But 52 percent say they feel nervous about it. Experts and the general public disagree most sharply on AI's impact on jobs, education, and medical care.
The report also notes that AI still has significant limitations. Robots succeed at only 12 percent of household tasks. The index describes this as "jagged intelligence," where AI performs well in some areas but struggles in others.
