New one Study found that South Africa lags behind most countries in the world in consumer adoption of AI mobile applications, with widespread use limited by a lack of infrastructure and digital inequality.
CyberNews, an independent cybersecurity and tech media outlet, reported in its AI Adoption Index that South Africa ranked 58th out of 64 countries analyzed, with a 16% consumer AI app adoption rate in 2025.
CyberNews notes that aye Its adoption in South Africa is hindered by a number of structural factors, with high mobile data costs limiting sustained use, while persistent digital inequality – particularly between urban and rural areas – restricts access to these devices.
During the period analyzed, load-shedding disrupted connectivity, largely disrupting consistent use.
Despite this low ranking, AI adoption in South Africa has grown rapidly, increasing from 3% in 2023 to 8% in 2024, doubling again to 16% in 2025.
Among African countries measured, South Africa ranked fourth, behind Tunisia (41%), Algeria (37%) and Egypt (18%).
Over the same period, downloads increased from 2 million to 5.1 million, then to 10.6 million, representing a 100% year-on-year increase between 2024 and 2025.
Singapore, Chile and the United Arab Emirates lead the 2025 ranking, recording consumer AI adoption rates of 66%, 60% and 56% respectively, reflecting deeper per capita penetration than the other markets analyzed.
Among African countries measured, South Africa ranked fourth, behind Tunisia (41%), Algeria (37%) and Egypt (18%).
In compiling this study, CyberNews analyzed download data for the 100 most popular AI-focused mobile apps in these countries, comparing total downloads with national population figures to estimate adoption rates.
The data, obtained from Google Play Store and Apple App Store through third-party providers, only covers apps where AI is the core product, excluding platforms that have only added AI features. Countries without reliable app download data were excluded, leaving a final sample of 64 countries.