What Is Currently Happening in AI?

More people than ever are using AI

Let's start with something that shows just how big AI has become. A recent global report found that nearly 18% of the world's working-age population is now actively using AI tools — that's about 1 in every 5.5 working adults on the planet.

And the number keeps going up. That's up from 16.3% just a few months ago. Countries like South Korea, Japan, and Thailand are seeing some of the biggest jumps in AI adoption.

This isn't just tech nerds anymore. Everyday people are using AI to write emails, summarise documents, generate images, get medical advice, learn new languages, and so much more.

The big AI models: who's who right now

If you've heard names like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude thrown around, you might be wondering — what are these exactly? They are large AI models, essentially very powerful AI "brains" trained on huge amounts of data. Each company is racing to make theirs the best.

Here's a quick look at who the major players are in mid-2026:

The competition between these companies is intense, and new models are launching almost every month. In fact, June 2026 is expected to see some major new releases that could shake up the rankings all over again.

AI Agents: AI that actually does things for you

Up until recently, AI was mostly a question-and-answer tool. You ask it something, it replies. But the biggest shift happening right now is the rise of AI agents — AI that can take real actions on your behalf.

Here's what's making headlines:

• OpenAI launched Workspace Agents — AI agents that your whole team can share. They can run in the background, work across different apps, and remember what they've done before.
• Google's Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform — Released at their big annual developer event, this lets businesses build AI agents that run inside their existing workflows.
• AI agents can now talk to each other — Different AI agents from different companies are starting to be able to communicate and collaborate, like a team of robot workers handing tasks between themselves.

This "agentic era" is being called the next big leap for AI — bigger than the original ChatGPT moment in late 2022.

AI is changing how we work — fast

One of the most concrete impacts of AI right now is in the workplace. Companies of all sizes are adopting AI to get more done, faster.

• Coding is being transformed. AI tools can now help write, test, and review software code. Tasks that used to take developers weeks can sometimes be done in hours. AI-assisted coding tools are now the norm, not the exception.
• Banks are going all-in. JPMorgan Chase has officially moved AI from "experimental" to "core infrastructure" — with a budget of nearly $20 billion and 2,000 employees dedicated purely to AI development.
• New jobs are being created. Roles like "AI prompt engineer," "model trainer," and "AI governance specialist" are growing rapidly, even as some traditional roles change.

The bottom line: ignoring AI in your career right now is a bit like ignoring the internet in 1999. It's not going away — it's accelerating.

AI as a scientist and doctor's helper

Beyond chatbots and productivity tools, AI is starting to make a real impact in science and medicine — and this is arguably where the most exciting things are happening.

• AI in scientific research. AI is no longer just summarising research papers — it's generating new hypotheses, suggesting experiments, and even running parts of them. Microsoft researchers describe AI as becoming a true "lab assistant" for scientists.
• Healthcare. AI is being used to help close gaps in medical care, especially in areas where there aren't enough doctors. It can analyse scans, suggest diagnoses, and help doctors make faster decisions.
• Climate and materials science. AI is accelerating breakthroughs in climate modelling and designing new materials — work that could take human researchers years is being done in days.

AI is becoming more open and accessible

For a long time, the most powerful AI was locked behind expensive subscriptions and big company servers. That's starting to change.

Open-source AI models — ones that anyone can download and use for free — are rapidly catching up to the paid models in quality. Companies like Meta (with their "Llama" models) and others are releasing powerful AI that individuals, small startups, and researchers can customise and build on.

It's not all good news — here are the worries

With all this excitement, there are also very real concerns being discussed. It's important to be honest about these.

The good news is that awareness of these issues is growing. More AI companies are hiring ethicists, publishing safety research, and working with governments — even if progress is slow.

What should we expect in the next few months?

The pace of AI development shows no sign of slowing down. Here's what's coming:

• Several major new AI models are expected to launch in June and July 2026 — including upgrades from OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic that could be significantly more capable.
• AI on your personal devices (your phone and laptop) is getting smarter, meaning powerful AI that works offline without sending your data to a server.
• AI in personal health is expanding — Google launched a dedicated Google Health app in May 2026, and AI-powered wearables are becoming more sophisticated.
• More governments will introduce AI laws and regulations — expect this to be a big political topic for the rest of 2026.