A new report released at UNESCO’s Digital Learning Week in Paris finds that digital literacy, rather than network coverage, is the primary obstacle preventing 3.1 billion people from accessing the internet. The report, titled “Bridging the Divide: Enhancing Digital Literacy in the AI Era,” was authored by GSMA Intelligence in collaboration with Huawei. It warns that without targeted interventions, the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence could deepen existing inequalities.
According to the research, 38% of the world’s population remains offline despite being covered by mobile broadband, which now reaches 96% of people globally. The study identifies a lack of digital skills, user trust, and AI literacy as key factors driving this usage gap. It estimates that closing this gap could add approximately $3.5 trillion to global GDP by 2030, with more than 90% of those gains benefiting low- and middle-income countries.
The report highlights that AI can act as both a bridge and a barrier. AI-powered voice assistants and applications that process images, audio, and video can help low-literacy users bypass text input, but they also raise the bar for security and critical thinking. Users must now understand data privacy and identify risks such as fraud and deepfakes. Citing World Bank statistics, the report notes that generative AI literacy carries the highest wage premium, up to 36%, far exceeding returns for basic digital or traditional AI skills.
To address these challenges, the report points to community-based delivery models, such as Huawei’s Skills on Wheels initiative. Its solar-powered DigiTruck mobile classrooms bring hardware, connectivity, and hands-on training, including AI literacy, to off-grid regions. Since 2019, these projects have reached over 130,000 people across 21 countries. A report by Kenya’s Ministry of Information, Communications and Digital Economy found that 79% of DigiTruck trainees surveyed had passed on their new digital skills to family members and peers.
The report urges policymakers, telecom operators, and technology vendors to treat practical AI awareness, online safety, and information verification as a baseline national qualification. It also recommends adopting multilingual voice and conversational interfaces for public services, scaling up mobile learning units through cross-sector partnerships, and measuring performance by independent task completion and fraud resilience rather than trainee numbers.
“Digital literacy can no longer be defined by static thresholds,” said Tim Hatt, head of research and consultancy at GSMA Intelligence. “Connectivity alone is insufficient — capabilities, system design and trust must evolve together. To capture this multi-trillion-dollar opportunity, stakeholders must integrate layered AI literacy directly into daily livelihoods through trusted community channels.”
Gavin Allen, Executive Editor-in-Chief at Huawei, added, “Mobile classrooms have demonstrated immense value in helping underserved populations break through physical and psychological barriers to technology. We will continue working alongside local governments and industry partners to drive digital literacy, ensuring that no one is left behind as we transition into the AI economy.”
A new DigiTruck program is set to launch in France this autumn, targeting low-income and underserved communities in several cities across the Île-de-France region. The full report is available on the GSMA Intelligence research portal.
