Q COSTA RICA — Costa Rica has emerged as Latin America’s leading user of Artificial Intelligence (AI), with close to 30% of its population using AI-powered tools, according to a new report published by Microsoft, which analyzes the spread of this technology among the working-age population in various economies around the world.
The findings point to the rapid integration of generative AI into everyday life. Tools capable of producing text, images, and other digital content are no longer limited to technology companies or specialized professionals. They are increasingly being used by the broader public for work, education and personal tasks.
The study, titled Global AI Diffusion Report: Q2 2026 Trends and Insights, revealed that 29.7% of people aged 15 to 64 in Costa Rica use generative artificial intelligence tools—a proportion equivalent to approximately three out of every ten people in that age group.
The results correspond to the second quarter of 2026 and were published this month by Microsoft, which analyzes the adoption of these technologies based on aggregated and anonymized service usage data, adjusted using variables related to population, connectivity, and the technology market.
The percentage recorded by Costa Rica surpasses that of other Latin American economies—including Colombia, Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil—placing the country 32nd in the global ranking presented in the report.
One of the study’s key findings is the growth the country experienced during the first six months of 2026: Costa Rica increased its use of artificial intelligence in just three months.
According to Microsoft’s figures, Costa Rica recorded an adoption rate of 28.5% during the first quarter of the year, a figure that rose to 29.7% by the end of the second quarter.
AI tools include applications such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Gemini, and other services that use generative artificial intelligence models.
How does Costa Rica compare to other Latin American countries?
Data published by Microsoft makes it possible to gauge the differences between Costa Rica and other economies in the region.
Colombia shows an adoption rate of 25.9%, followed by the Dominican Republic at 25.8% and Uruguay at 25.7%.
In Central America, Panama recorded 24.2%, while El Salvador reached 20.1%, Guatemala 17.3%, Honduras 14.5%, and Nicaragua 12.5%.
The difference between Costa Rica and Panama, for example, is 5.5 percentage points, whereas the gap compared to Nicaragua stands at 17.2 percentage points.
Other, larger markets also recorded lower percentages than Costa Rica.
Chile reached 24%, Argentina 23.4%, Mexico 21.4%, and Brazil 20.2%.
In the case of Brazil, the difference compared to Costa Rica is 9.5 percentage points, while the gap relative to Mexico is 8.3 points.
These comparisons refer to usage rates within the working-age population of each territory; therefore, they should not be interpreted as a comparison of the absolute number of artificial intelligence users.
The results add to evidence that AI is becoming more common across Latin America.
Costa Rica surpasses the global average for artificial intelligence adoption
The report also shows that the figure for Costa Rica is considerably higher than the global estimate.
Microsoft determined that 18.8% of the global working-age population used generative AI tools during the second quarter of 2026.
This figure represents an increase from the 17.8% recorded during the first quarter, equating to a global growth of one percentage point.
By comparison, Costa Rica exceeds the global average by 10.9 percentage points.
Microsoft highlighted that the growth in adoption was widespread and that virtually all the economies analyzed recorded increases during the period.
However, significant differences between countries remain.
The United Arab Emirates leads the global rankings with an adoption rate of 73.3%, followed by Singapore at 64.3%, followed by Ireland at 49.9%, France at 49.6%, and Norway at 49.4%.
Meanwhile, the United States recorded an adoption rate of 33%, a figure 3.3 percentage points higher than that of Costa Rica.
Still, adoption alone does not guarantee equal benefits
Governments and businesses face pressure to improve digital literacy, expand reliable internet access and establish safeguards for privacy and data security. The spread of AI also raises questions about misinformation, employment and the responsible use of automated systems.
For Costa Rica, the challenge now is to turn widespread public interest into lasting gains. That will depend on whether schools, employers and public agencies can help people use AI effectively while reducing the risks that come with it.
Editor’s note: Q Costa Rica integrates Artificial Intelligence (AI) into its story creation; however, the publication maintains mandatory human oversight before anything goes live.