According to a Morgan Stanley report published Monday, China is surging ahead of the US in consumer AI adoption: a bank survey found 80% of Chinese respondents used AI for personal purposes at least weekly, compared with 54% in the US.
AI adoption: super apps fuel China’s lead
Technology giants such as Tencent Holdings and Alibaba Group Holding are embedding artificial intelligence directly into popular everyday apps, the report says, a deployment credited with accelerating consumer use.
China’s generative AI user base grew from about 249 million in December 2024 to 602 million in December 2025, the report adds, a pace the bank says scaled significantly faster than mobile internet adoption over a comparable period.
The report also notes that American models lead in capability, even as integration in Chinese apps appears to be driving higher consumer engagement.
