64.2% of Bangladeshis never heard of AI, only 10% use it

Bangladesh is among the lowest-ranked countries in the world in terms of awareness and use of artificial intelligence (AI), with 64.2 per cent of its population saying they have never heard of the technology. Only 10.1 per cent have used AI at least once.

The country also ranks lowest among the 37 countries surveyed in terms of optimism about AI's potential benefits for the nation.

The findings come from a joint study by US-based polling organisation Gallup and technology company Microsoft. The first phase of the survey covered 37 countries, with the research expected to eventually expand to 140 countries worldwide.

According to Gallup's findings, 25.7 per cent of Bangladeshis have heard of AI but have never used it. Only 10.1 per cent have tried the technology at least once. Of these, 1.8 per cent use AI daily, 3.4 per cent once or several times a week, and 4.9 per cent once a month or less frequently.

Bangladesh ranks fourth from the bottom among the 37 countries in terms of overall AI awareness and use. Only Malawi, Afghanistan and Comoros rank lower. However, the differences between Bangladesh and Afghanistan and Comoros fall within the survey's margin of error, suggesting that their actual levels of AI use may be similar.

Limited optimism about AI's benefits

The survey also examined public perceptions of how AI could affect people's lives and their countries in the future. Here, too, Bangladeshis expressed relatively low levels of optimism.

Only 34 per cent of respondents in Bangladesh believe AI will do more good than harm for their country, the lowest proportion among the 37 countries surveyed. Meanwhile, 32.5 per cent believe AI will make their daily lives better.

Singapore, by contrast, has an AI awareness rate of 96 per cent. As many as 45.9 per cent of its population use the technology daily, placing the country at the top of the 37-country ranking for AI use.

Across the surveyed countries, the median level of AI awareness was 81 per cent, while the median proportion of people who had used AI at least once was 43 per cent. Bangladesh's figures are considerably below both benchmarks.

The gap is also evident in comparisons with several developing countries. In Vietnam, 43 per cent of people have used AI at least once. The figures are 29 per cent in Indonesia, 23 per cent in Kenya and 22 per cent in Egypt.

Microsoft data also points to low usage

The low level of AI use in Bangladesh is also reflected in a separate assessment by Microsoft's AI Economy Institute.

According to its estimates, only 8 per cent of people aged 15 to 64 in Bangladesh used generative AI between April and June this year. The global rate during the same period was 18.8 per cent.

Among South Asian countries, the rate of generative AI use was 18.5 per cent in India, 14.6 per cent in Nepal and 11.9 per cent in Pakistan. Sri Lanka and Afghanistan recorded lower rates than Bangladesh.

However, the Gallup survey and Microsoft's assessment use different methodologies. Gallup collected responses directly from people, while Microsoft's estimates were based on analysis of usage data from its products.

Gaps in internet access and digital skills

Internet access and digital skills are important factors in the adoption of AI. According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics' (BBS) survey on information and communication technology use, more than 56 per cent of households have at least one member who uses the internet. This means a significant proportion of households still remain outside internet use.

Digital skills are also limited among internet users. The BBS's 2024–25 survey found that only 15 per cent of respondents could transfer files.

Meanwhile, the government plans to introduce AI education for students from grades six to 12 from the 2027 academic year. Initiatives are also under way to develop home-grown AI technology based on the Bangla language.

The survey did not investigate the specific reasons why so many people in Bangladesh have little or no awareness of AI or have never used it. However, the findings highlight the need to expand public awareness, improve internet access and strengthen practical digital skills alongside the wider adoption of AI technology.

Gallup surveyed around 1,000 people aged 15 and above in Bangladesh. Data were collected between April and July this year through face-to-face interviews, telephone surveys and online questionnaires, using random sampling. The margin of error varied from 2.2 to 4.9 percentage points across countries.