Some regions are more optimistic than others that AI will work there
Regional variation in AI optimism is large and does not follow the pattern you might expect. When asked whether AI benefits will reach their region, Sub-Saharan African respondents are by far the most confident, with 80% saying it's likely (Chart 13b). Southeast Asians, South Asians, and North Americans form a middle tier. The most skeptical are Eastern Europeans, Latin Americans, and East Asians. The pattern on whether wealthy-country AI is useful locally (Chart 14) largely mirrors the confidence question. North Americans and Sub-Saharan Africans are the most positive. East Asians and Latin Americans are the most skeptical.
Will AI's economic benefits reach you?
Expectations by region
Overall
1,082
24%
24%
52%
Western Europe
139
33%
29%
38%
Sub-Saharan Africa
144
10%
10%
80%
South Asia
227
18%
27%
55%
Southeast Asia
82
16%
23%
61%
Middle East & N. Africa
80
25
31%
44%
Eastern Europe
53
43%
25%
31%
East Asia
104
21%
38%
41%
Latin America
104
43%
10%
47%
North America
136
25%
24%
51%
Oceania
13
42%
17%
42%
Unlikely
Neutral
Likely
The pattern on whether wealthy-country AI is useful locally (Chart 14) largely mirrors the previous chart. North Americans and Sub-Saharan Africans are the most positive. East Asians and Latin Americans are the most skeptical.
Will AI from wealthy countries work here? (detailed)
C5: "Do you think AI systems developed in wealthy countries will be useful for solving problems in your community?"
Overall
1,082
12%
46%
19%
16%
7%
Western Europe
139
6%
49%
22%
19%
4%
Sub-Saharan Africa
144
27%
42%
11%
13%
7%
South Asia
227
11%
52%
14%
17%
6%
Southeast Asia
82
12%
44%
26%
12%
6%
Middle East & N. Africa
80
11%
41%
28%
12%
8%
Eastern Europe
53
6%
44%
12%
18%
20%
East Asia
104
8%
38%
32%
19%
3%
Latin America
104
12%
35%
14%
24%
15%
18%
North America
136
11%
54%
17%
19%
5%
Oceania
13
0%
58%
25%
8%
8%
Extremely likely
Somewhat likely
Neither
Somewhat unlikely
Extremely unlikely
Sub-Saharan Africa's high optimism across both measures is consistent with their broader AI attitudes: they also show the highest expected AI impact scores across nearly every domain, from healthcare (4.30/5) to education (4.39/5) to leisure (4.07/5; Chart 7).
This is a surprising result on the surface, since one might expect those furthest from AI's centres of development to be the most sceptical. But Chart 15 offers a plausible explanation: respondents identified specific applications they believe will transfer – business and productivity tools, healthcare, and education – as well as specific barriers that won't, such as cultural relevance, local language support, and understanding of local institutions). The optimism appears to be conditional rather than naive; people are distinguishing between AI's technical capabilities, which they see as portable, and its contextual fit, which they recognise as limited.
How do people expect AI to change things?
Expected AI impact (B4) by region — mean scores (1=much worse, 3=same, 5=much better)
Healthcare
Education
Food & water
Housing &
infrastructure
Safety
Governance
Social
support
Meaningful
work
Environment
Community
Leisure time
Western Europe
139
3.6
3.6
3.1
3.0
3.0
2.6
3.0
2.8
2.9
2.5
3.5
Sub-Saharan Africa
144
4.3
4.4
4.0
4.2
3.9
3.5
3.8
3.8
3.8
3.4
4.1
South Asia
227
4.0
4.1
3.3
3.7
3.3
3.2
3.5
3.4
2.9
3.0
3.6
Southeast Asia
82
3.9
4.0
3.2
3.3
3.1
2.9
3.2
3.0
2.8
3.0
3.6
Middle East & N. Africa
80
3.8
3.8
3.2
3.2
3.4
2.9
3.0
3.0
2.8
2.3
3.5
Eastern Europe
53
3.6
3.4
2.9
3.0
3.4
2.6
3.0
2.5
2.7
2.4
3.2
East Asia
104
3.8
3.8
3.2
3.2
3.3
2.9
3.0
2.8
3.0
2.9
3.5
Latin America
104
4.0
3.7
3.1
3.4
3.4
2.6
3.3
2.7
2.6
2.8
3.5
North America
136
3.7
3.7
3.2
3.1
3.3
3.0
3.1
2.7
3.1
3.0
3.8
Oceania
13
3.9
3.8
3.3
3.2
3.2
3.3
3.3
3.2
3.0
2.9
3.6
Expect worse
Expect better
Sub-Saharan Africa’s comparatively high optimism towards western AI may also reflect lived experience with technologies that leapfrogged legacy infrastructure rather than diffusing gradually through existing systems. In contexts such as Kenya (which accounts for 89% of respondents in this regional sample) innovations such as mobile banking (notably M-Pesa) and off-grid solar microgrids have delivered tangible, everyday benefits without requiring the fixed-line banking networks or centralized power grids, typical of wealthier economies. This recent history of direct, visible gains from externally developed technologies may plausibly shape expectations that advanced AI systems could generate similarly practical and immediate value.
C5: Will AI from wealthy countries help your community?
Keyword-classified themes from open-ended responses (n=1,032, multi-tag per response)
What people think will transfer
Business & productivity
17%
Healthcare & diagnostics
12%
Education & learning
12%
Jobs & employment
8%
Safety & security
3%
Scientific research
2%
Agriculture & food
2%
What people think won't transfer
Local context & culture
11%
Governance & corruption
5%
Affordability & inequality
4%
Infrastructure & access gaps
3%
Data bias
2%