Closing the AI adoption gap between countries

OpenAI for Countries head George Osborne is sounding the alarm on a growing “capability overhang” — the gap between nations that are fully leveraging AI and those that aren’t. New research shows the divide is already massive: power users rely on seven times more advanced AI capabilities than casual users. Country-level gaps are stark too, with some nations using three times more thinking capabilities per person than others. But it’s not just about wealth — Vietnam and Pakistan are power users of agentic tools like data analysis and Codex, outpacing many richer nations. The real story is that first movers are already seeing productivity gains, using AI to solve harder problems and innovate faster. OpenAI is expanding its 2026 initiatives to help governments catch up, focusing on education, healthcare, AI certifications, disaster response, cybersecurity, and startup accelerators. Why it matters: This isn’t just a tech lag — it’s an economic and geopolitical risk that could entrench global inequality for decades if left unaddressed.