Artificial intelligence is advancing quickly, but its benefits aren't distributed equally across countries. That creates a "capability gap": some already use AI for complex, multi-step work while others stay at basic tasks. What does that mean for the economy and everyday life? A lot—and not only for the wealthiest nations.
What the report shows
OpenAI today publishes research that quantifies that difference. Here are some key figures explained simply:
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The “advanced user” uses roughly 7 times more AI thinking capabilities than the typical user. In other words, they use AI for multi-step jobs and complex analysis, not just for one-off questions.
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Analyzing more than 70 countries with high ChatGPT usage, there are nations where people do 3 times more advanced tasks per person than in others.
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Advanced adoption doesn't depend only on income level: countries like Vietnam and Pakistan are among the most active with agentic tools, using more than 2 times per person tasks like data analysis, Connectors and Codex (automated programming tools).
What does this mean in practice? Some countries are already reaping productivity gains: freeing time for more creative tasks, launching products faster, and improving public services. This isn't a technical detail—it's concrete economic and social advantage.
What OpenAI is doing and what it offers countries
To close that gap, OpenAI launched OpenAI for Countries and announces a 2026 expansion with initiatives in key areas:
- Education
- Health
- Training and certifications in AI skills
- Disaster response and preparedness
- Cybersecurity
- Startup accelerators
The proposal isn't a one-size-fits-all solution. It's about partnerships tailored to local priorities: integrating tools into schools, training health staff, certifying the workforce, and supporting entrepreneurial ecosystems.
The goal: to turn technological capabilities into real benefits for people, not just statistics.
Education as a strategic pillar
One of the main focuses is the Education for Countries program. Why start with education? Because preparing students and teachers today determines who can leverage AI tomorrow.
Program features:
- Expanded access to advanced tools
- Large-scale research on AI's impact on learning
- Training and certifications for students and teachers
- A global collaboration network among ministries, universities, and research centers
Early partners include Estonia, the United Arab Emirates, Greece, Jordan, Slovakia, Kazakhstan, Trinidad and Tobago and Italy's CRUI. What could happen if this is done well? Less time on administrative tasks, more focus on critical thinking and creative skills, and students ready for jobs that don't even exist yet.
What governments — and you — can do right now
This isn't about adopting AI as a trend, but about deploying it strategically. Some concrete actions:
- Scale use in companies and the public sector where it generates real productivity.
- Invest in digital infrastructure and connectivity.
- Create accessible training and certification programs.
- Integrate AI into curricula with an emphasis on critical thinking.
- Promote data governance and cybersecurity policies.
- Support startups and local ecosystems applying AI to real problems.
Think about it as a citizen or local leader: is your country training people to take advantage of these tools, or leaving them behind?
Final reflection
The capability gap isn't inevitable, but it is urgent. Acting now can turn technological advances into jobs, better services, and greater productivity for many more people. If countries wait, the differences will become harder to close. Do you want your community to use AI to solve real problems? Starting with education, training, and context-adapted partnerships is the way.
Original source
https://openai.com/index/how-countries-can-end-the-capability-overhang