A new report from GSMA Intelligence, produced in collaboration with Huawei, reveals that the primary barrier to internet adoption is not network coverage but a lack of digital literacy. According to the research, 38% of the world's population—3.1 billion people—remains offline despite living in areas covered by mobile broadband. 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. Existing industry projections suggest that closing the digital skills gap could add approximately $3.5 trillion to global GDP by 2030, with more than 90% of those gains flowing to low- and middle-income countries. While physical mobile broadband coverage now reaches 96% of people worldwide, the usage gap persists due to shortcomings in digital skills, user trust, and AI literacy.
Artificial intelligence presents both an opportunity and a challenge. AI-powered voice assistants and multimodal applications can help low-literacy users bypass text input, making technology more accessible. However, the report warns that AI also raises the bar for security and critical thinking. Users must now understand data privacy and identify risks such as fraud and deepfakes. Without targeted interventions in basic digital training, rapid AI adoption risks entrenching existing inequalities, even in areas with full network coverage.
The research cites World Bank statistics showing that generative AI literacy commands the highest wage premium—up to 36%—far exceeding returns for traditional digital skills. This underscores the economic urgency of equipping people with advanced digital capabilities.
To address these challenges, the report highlights community-based delivery models. 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 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 passed on their new skills to family and peers, amplifying the impact.
The report calls on 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, 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.
