Al usage has exploded over the past five years. In 2020, about 115 million people used AI tools. Today, that number has tripled to nearly 350 million. However, the latest data show the AI market is growing much faster than thought before.
According to data presented by AltIndex.com, the global AI market is expected to hit over 950 million users by 2030, 220 million more than in earlier forecasts.
Annual User Growth to Accelerate for Seven Straight Years
Just five years ago, artificial intelligence was still far from being used globally; today, it is a mainstream technology revolutionizing industries and changing daily life. From manufacturing, healthcare and retail to stock trading, and social media, companies across the sectors turn to AI to improve efficiency, decision-making, and user experience. With AI technology becoming an essential tool, its user base has also skyrocketed. However, the latest Statista market forecast shows the industry is growing much faster than thought before, and the difference is shocking.
Last March, Statista forecasted the global AI user base to hit 378 million in 2025, with 65 million new users flocking to the market. This figure was expected to double and hit 729 million by 2030, showing around 350 million new users in just five years.
However, last month, Statista adjusted its forecast, which showed much bigger user growth. The latest market projections show 346 million people worldwide will use AI tools by the end of 2025, 32 million less than forecasted last year. However, this number will skyrocket by the end of a decade.
Statista expects 606 million people to embrace AI tools by 2030, pushing the total user count in the AI space to a jaw-dropping 952 million. That is 220 million more users than expected before. Moreover, the latest market projections show seven straight years of accelerating user growth ahead.
In 2025, the market will add 65 million new users. By the end of 2026, another 78 million people will embrace AI; a year later, this figure will jump to 95 million. The following years bring an even more impressive growth. After 115 million new users in 2028 and 142 million in 2029, the global AI user base will add another 176 million people in 2030, three times the annual growth so far.
Global AI Adoption to Hit 1.1 Billion Users by 2031
With this pace of growth, Statista expects the global AI user base to hit over 1.1 billion people by 2031. If that happens, AI will grow at a pace similar to social media and smartphones and faster than early internet adoption.
To put that 1.1 billion in perspective, by 2031, AI users will outnumber the entire population of Europe and the U.S. combined. Also, if AI’s user base were a country, it would be the world’s third-largest, right behind India and China.
The full story and statistics can be found here.
