Digital 2026: Internet Users Pass 6 billion, Social Media Users Become a "Supermajority", and AI Use Tops 1 Billion

Oct. 15, 2025

We Are Social, the socially-led creative agency, and Meltwater, a global leader in media, social and consumer intelligence, have released Digital 2026, their latest annual report on social media and digital trends worldwide.  

Digital 2026 reveals major milestones in internet and social media adoption, with more than two-thirds of the world's total population now using social media. The report also points to a significant evolution in online behaviour, as the battle for attention intensifies on established platforms.

A social media "supermajority"

Global social media user identities now stand at 5.66 billion, equivalent to 68.7 percent of the global population. This figure represents a ‘supermajority’, with social media users outnumbering non-users two to one, and the global total increased by 4.8 percent over the past year, thanks to the addition of 259 million new user identities. The typical adult internet user spends 18 hours and 36 minutes each week on social media and online video platforms.

Social media ads critical for younger audiences

Digital 2026 highlights generational differences when it comes to seeking out information from brands on social media. For younger internet users aged 16 to 34, social media ads are the top driver of brand awareness, outperforming search engines and TV ads. Social media ads also rank second behind search engines for those aged 35 to 44. The data shows a clear generational divide, with older audiences still relying on more traditional channels.

AI adoption surges past 1 billion

The Digital 2026 analysis estimates that more than 1 billion people now use standalone generative AI tools every month. OpenAI’s CEO reported that ChatGPT alone had 800 million weekly users in early October 2025. This rapid adoption is reshaping online behaviours, particularly search, with GWI data showing a steady decline in the number of people who use a conventional search engine each month. Around half of the world’s online adults say that they are “excited” about artificial intelligence, with that figure increasing in recent months. 

Digital and social ad spend continues to climb

Marketers are on track to spend US$1.16 trillion on advertising in 2025, with digital channels accounting for nearly three-quarters (74.4 percent) of that total. Social media advertising continues to enjoy strong growth, with global spend projected to increase by 13.6 percent year-on-year to reach US$277 billion in 2025.

Digital 2026 is a 700-page report covering data from across the entire online ecosystem. Other key highlights include:

• Women aged 16 to 24 now spend an average of 3 hours and 40 minutes per day on social and video platforms, the most of any demographic.
• The world’s ‘favourite’ social media platforms are WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook.
• The typical social media user now uses an average of 6.75 different social platforms each month.
• Globally, YouTube’s advertising formats on connected TVs now reach more than four in ten of its users each month.
• The number of people using a conventional search engine each month has seen a steady decline, with only 80 percent of online adults now using one.

The report also includes multiple country-vs-country breakdowns. In the UK, it shows that:

• Adult internet users spend 16 hours 13 minutes on social media and online video platforms each week 
• Online adults use an average of 6.25 different social platforms each month.
• 38.7 percent of adult social media users seek out brand’s content on social platforms, and 49.3% use it for brand and product research.

Lucy Doubleday, UK Managing Director at We Are Social said:

“Social media continues to be an increasingly important part of our media landscape. Today this is more true than ever, with a supermajority of the global population now on social platforms and social ads becoming the primary source of discovery for younger users. The proliferation of AI also means the competition for attention will only intensify; it’s no longer just about reach, it’s a battle for relevance. Marketers need to move beyond ‘having a presence’ online to creating ideas worth talking about - compelling, culturally relevant content that cuts through the noise and makes an impact."

 

Alexandra Bjertnæs, Chief Strategy Officer at Meltwater said:

"We’re seeing a profound shift in how people discover brands, with more people turning to social media and AI platforms than ever before. Among younger audiences, social media ads now carry more weight than traditional search in shaping awareness and perception, while the rise of GenAI, now used by more than a billion people each month, is transforming how people find and trust information. For marketers and communicators, this is an exciting opportunity to build strategies that connect with audiences in new ways and meet them where they are today."