A new report from GSMA Intelligence, produced in collaboration with Huawei, finds that the primary obstacle to internet adoption is not network coverage but a lack of digital literacy. Despite mobile broadband reaching 96% of the world's population, 3.1 billion people remain offline, representing 38% of humanity. The report, titled "Bridging the Divide: Enhancing Digital Literacy in the AI Era," was released at UNESCO's Digital Learning Week.
The implications are profound: closing the digital literacy gap could add $3.5 trillion to global GDP by 2030, with more than 90% of those gains flowing to low- and middle-income countries. This underscores that digital inclusion is not just a social imperative but a major economic opportunity.
Artificial intelligence presents a double-edged sword. AI-powered voice assistants and multimodal applications can help low-literacy users bypass text input, making technology more accessible. However, AI also raises the bar for safe participation, requiring users to understand data privacy, identify fraud, and detect deepfakes. The report warns that without targeted interventions, rapid AI adoption could entrench existing inequalities, even in areas with full network coverage. According to World Bank statistics cited in the report, GenAI literacy carries the highest wage premium—up to 36%—far exceeding returns for basic digital or traditional AI skills.
The report highlights community-based delivery models as essential. It cites Huawei's Skills on Wheels initiative, particularly its solar-powered DigiTruck mobile classrooms, which bring hardware, connectivity, and hands-on training, including AI literacy, to off-grid regions. Since 2019, these programs have reached over 130,000 people across 21 countries. A study by Kenya's Ministry of Information, Communications and Digital Economy found that 79% of DigiTruck trainees passed on their new skills to family and peers, amplifying the impact.
To bridge the usage gap, the report urges policymakers, telecom operators, and technology vendors to collaborate on four priorities: treating practical AI awareness, online safety, and information verification as a baseline national qualification; adopting multilingual voice and conversational interfaces in 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 will launch in France this autumn, covering several cities in the Île-de-France region and targeting low-income and underserved communities with digital skills training. The full report is available on the GSMA Intelligence research portal.
