While the generative AI (GenAI) race traces its roots back to the launch of ChatGPT two years ago by OpenAI, a survey found China leads the world in usage.

A study of 1,600 decision-makers across various global industries, commissioned by SAS and conducted by Coleman Parkes Research Ltd, found 83 per cent of respondents in China use GenAI.

In the UK, 70 per cent of the respondents employ GenAI while the US is third with an adoption rate of 65 per cent followed by Australia at 63 per cent. Out of the 17 countries in the survey, the global average is 54 per cent.

Stephen Saw, managing director at Coleman Parkes, stated China’s adoption rates do not “necessarily equate to effective implementation or better returns”.

He noted the US “nudges ahead in the race with 24 per cent of organisations having fully implemented GenAI compared to 19 per cent in China”. The UK is third for implementation at 11 percent.

By sector, telecoms companies (70 per cent) have reached a more advanced stage for using GenAI, followed by retail (66 per cent), insurance (60 per cent), banking (60 per cent) and life sciences (58 per cent).

Among the industries that indicate they already use GenAI daily to some extent, telcos are first at 29 per cent followed by retail (27 per cent) and banking (23 per cent).

Respondents to the survey range from various industries including banking, insurance, the public sector, life sciences, health care, telecommunications, manufacturing, retail, energy and utilities, and professional services.