Forecast Trend Report by Period
Microsoft think tank report
South Korea’s use of artificial intelligence is rising faster than in any other country, according to a Microsoft analysis.
A report released on May 12 by Microsoft’s think tank, the AI Economy Institute, showed South Korea’s generative AI usage rate reached 37.1% in the first quarter of 2026. That was up 6.4 percentage points from the previous quarter, the steepest increase worldwide. The country’s ranking in global generative AI adoption climbed to 16th from 18th. Microsoft called South Korea a leading example of the broader AI adoption trend across Asia.
The report’s metrics are based on aggregated, anonymized Microsoft data. They are adjusted to reflect differences in operating system and device market share, internet penetration and population size across countries. The measure tracks the share of the global working-age population, ages 15 to 64, that used generative AI products during the period.
Twelve of the 15 fastest-growing markets since June 2025 are in Asia. The number of AI users in the region rose by more than 25%. South Korea posted the largest increase, with user numbers up 43%, followed by Thailand at 36% and Japan at 34%. The report cited years of digital infrastructure investment, national AI strategies, strong consumer receptiveness, improved performance of major AI models in local languages, and the ability to quickly integrate new technology into daily life and economic activity.
Globally, the share of the working-age population using generative AI rose to 17.8% in the first quarter from 16.3% in the second half of 2025, an increase of 1.5 percentage points. The number of countries with generative AI usage above 30% climbed to 26 from 18 in the previous quarter.
Ra Hyun-jin, Hankyung.com reporter, raraland@hankyung.com
Korea Economic Daily
hankyung@bloomingbit.ioThe Korea Economic Daily Global is a digital media where latest news on Korean companies, industries, and financial markets.
