AI Diffusion in the United States

More than 30 percent of the US working-age population is using AI, an increase of three percentage points from the end of 2025. But what does that number mean, and what lessons should we take from it? Microsoft released a new report that offers an in-depth look at AI adoption across the United States, allowing for the first time a state- and county-level review. On a national basis, the US leads the world in AI innovation but ranks just 21st in global AI adoption. Part of the reason for this gap is a clear and uneven pattern of AI adoption across the country. We are also seeing a significant divide between urban and rural counties in AI usage. Usage averages 32.9 percent in metropolitan counties, compared with 16.2 percent in rural areas. In other words, metropolitan usage is about double what we see across rural America.