MICROSOFT REPORT: 17.8% OF THE WORLD’S WORKERS NOW USE AI — UP 1.5 POINTS IN JUST ONE QUARTER Microsoft’s new global AI diffusion report shows AI usage among working-age adults climbed from 16.3% to 17.8% in Q1 2026, with the sharpest gains in emerging markets. The rate of adoption is accelerating even as the gap between AI haves and have-nots continues to widen across income brackets and regions. Keywords: AI adoption 2026, global AI usage, Microsoft AI report, AI workforce diffusion