The GSMA has warned that the world risks creating a new divide between those who can access artificial intelligence (AI) and those who cannot, unless urgent action is taken to address the digital divide and smartphone affordability. According to the GSMA's State of Mobile Internet Connectivity (SOMIC) Report 2026, more than 3.4 billion people still do not use mobile internet despite more than 90 per cent of them living within mobile broadband coverage. This has significant implications for the adoption of AI, which has the potential to improve lives on an unprecedented scale.
The report highlights that affordable smartphones remain critical to ensuring that people can benefit from AI. However, rising costs of smartphone memory and chipsets driven by global demand for AI infrastructure and data centres are feeding into entry-level smartphone prices. This is making it increasingly difficult for people in low- and middle-income countries to afford smartphones, which is the biggest barrier to mobile internet adoption. The GSMA identified handset affordability as the biggest barrier to mobile internet adoption across surveyed low and middle-income countries.
GSMA director general Vivek Badrinath emphasized that AI is meaningless if people cannot get online in the first place. He noted that unless the affordability of entry-level smartphones is protected, billions of people risk being excluded from the next generation of digital services before they have even had the opportunity to experience the internet. The report showed that 4.8 billion people now use mobile internet on their own device, although growth is slow. Around 160 million people came online in 2025, compared with 190 million in the previous year.
The GSMA report also highlighted that 3.1 billion people continued to live within mobile broadband network coverage but did not use mobile internet. A lack of digital skills was identified as another significant barrier to mobile internet adoption. By the end of 2025, an entry-level internet-enabled handset will cost the poorest 20 percent of people in low- and middle-income countries the equivalent of 44 per cent of their average monthly income. This figure is expected to increase, exacerbating the problem.
The situation is particularly dire in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the cost of an entry-level internet-enabled handset rose to 76 per cent of the average monthly income of the poorest 20 percent of people. The GSMA warned that costs were expected to increase further due to rising memory prices. According to data from Counterpoint Research, memory prices more than doubled between the third quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026 before rising by a further 80 to 90 per cent in the second quarter.
The GSMA's warning highlights the need for urgent action to address the digital divide and smartphone affordability. This includes protecting the affordability of entry-level smartphones and investing in digital skills training. The organization emphasized that the greatest risk is not simply an AI divide between countries, but between people who can afford to participate in the digital economy and those who cannot. This has significant implications for the adoption of AI and the future of digital services.
The GSMA's State of Mobile Internet Connectivity (SOMIC) Report 2026 provides a comprehensive overview of the state of mobile internet connectivity globally. The report highlights the need for stakeholders to work together to address the digital divide and ensure that everyone has access to the benefits of the digital economy. Key stakeholders, including governments, private sector companies, and civil society organizations, must collaborate to ensure that the benefits of AI and digital services are accessible to all.
Key points
- The GSMA warns that 3.4 billion people remain offline, highlighting concerns over smartphone affordability and digital skills.
- Affordable smartphones are critical to ensuring that people can benefit from AI, but rising costs are making them increasingly unaffordable.
- The GSMA emphasizes the need for urgent action to address the digital divide and smartphone affordability to prevent a widening AI divide.
