The GSMA warned that a widening divide between people who can access artificial intelligence and those who cannot could emerge unless governments and industry act urgently to improve smartphone affordability and close the digital divide. Its State of Mobile Internet Connectivity (SOMIC) Report 2026 says more than 3.4 billion people still do not use mobile internet, even though more than 90% of them live in areas covered by mobile broadband. Rising demand for AI infrastructure and data centers is driving up memory and smartphone chip costs, increasing prices for entry-level devices and making internet access harder for low-income consumers. The GSMA said 3.1 billion people live within mobile broadband coverage but remain offline, with handset costs the main barrier in surveyed low- and middle-income countries, followed by limited digital skills. A previous GSMA analysis estimated that closing the mobile usage gap could generate $3.5 trillion in additional GDP between 2023 and 2030, with more than 90% benefiting low- and middle-income countries.