Digital 2026 Mid-Year Global Update Report.
Simon Kemp's midyear update tracks global internet, mobile, social and AI adoption as of April 2026. The standout finding is how fast generative AI has spread, with active users more than doubling in a year.
By DataReportal (with We Are Social) · Apr 1, 2026
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Simon Kemp's midyear update tracks global internet, mobile, social and AI adoption as of April 2026. The standout finding is how fast generative AI has spread, with active users more than doubling in a year.
Key findings
- The world had 6.12 billion internet users (73.8% of the population), with about 2.2 billion people still offline.
- Social media user identities reached 5.79 billion (69.9% of the population), up 294 million (+5.4%) in a year.
- Active generative AI users are estimated at 2.42 billion (29.2% of the population), up more than 1.4 billion (+141%) year on year.
- GWI data shows 81.2% of online adults used some form of AI in the past month.
- Unique mobile users stood at 5.83 billion, or 70.4% of the population.
Why it matters
These are the reference audience figures most decks cite, and they show AI platforms becoming a mass-reach channel next to social.
About this report
Published by DataReportal (with We Are Social), 2026-04. Free to download. Get the full report from DataReportal (with We Are Social)