More than three-quarters of respondents in South Africa say AI is useful, and trust levels are comparably high to other emerging markets, which reflects a population that is curious and optimistic about technological change.

Emerging economies, such as Brazil, India and Mexico, lead global AI adoption with strong use and trust levels, and South Africa demonstrates similarly high confidence, a new study by international organisation the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and networking and security company Cisco shows.

South Africa’s adoption of generative AI is above average across the 14 countries surveyed, with 45.4% actively using the technology, compared with Canada at 27.6% and Korea at 26.6%.

These emerging markets also report the highest recreational screen time, greatest reliance on digital-only socialising and the most pronounced emotional highs and lows from technology use.

South Africa mirrors this pattern, with a significant proportion of respondents spending more than five hours a day on recreational screen time, which is a level associated globally with reduced life satisfaction, the study notes.

The study collected data from 14 countries, namely Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, South Africa, the UK and the US.

“Empowering emerging economies with AI skills is not just about technology, but about unlocking the potential of every individual to shape their future,” said Cisco senior VP and global innovation officer Guy Diedrich.

Significant generational and geographic divides exist, with under-35s being far more likely to use and trust AI, while older adults remain less engaged and less certain.

Younger adults worldwide report that most or all of their social interaction takes place online and they express higher confidence in AI’s usefulness. More than 50% of under-35s surveyed actively use AI, more than 75% saying it is useful and almost half of 26- to 35-year-olds having completed some training.

Young adults globally are voracious consumers of digital content and under-35s show the highest use of social media, online devices and generative AI, the study adds.

However, adults over 45 are less likely to view AI as useful, and more than half do not use it at all.

Among over-55s surveyed, many say they do not know whether they trust AI, which suggests their uncertainty may be driven by a lack of familiarity rather than outright rejection.

South Africa reflects these generational patterns closely. Younger respondents demonstrate the strongest levels of adoption, while older adults are more likely to express uncertainty.

However, across all age groups, South Africans anticipate meaningful changes in the workplace, with many expecting AI to have a significant influence on future jobs, the study highlights.

“A key measure of AI’s success should not be speed of adoption, but whether people across all ages, skill levels and geographies can use AI to genuinely improve their lives. That way, we can ensure ‘Generation AI’ truly includes everyone,” Diedrich says.

The research serves as a call to action for citizens, and business and government leaders worldwide to bridge the digital skills gap, foster digital literacy at every age and prioritise wellbeing alongside innovation.

For South Africa, where enthusiasm for AI is high, but wellbeing considerations require greater attention, a balanced approach to digital development will be essential to ensure equitable access and long-term positive impact.

Only then can we ensure the digital future we build is truly for everyone, he says.