Cyprus has beaten New Zealand, India and South Africa to rank seventh out of 56 Commonwealth countries in a major new study of youth AI readiness, which also identifies a potential €1.1 billion boost to the country's economy after ten years.
Cyprus is among the 15 Commonwealth countries at or above the study's youth AI readiness benchmark of 53, scoring 67.4 out of 100. The Ayre Index, launched at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda, compares the environment facing 732 million young people across 56 countries.
Cyprus has one of the strongest results for reported AI use, with 86% of young respondents in the European survey examined by researchers saying they had used the technology for their studies or work. Other reported uses included seeking advice and translation. Only 4.6% of businesses reported an interrupted internet connection, one of the better results in the Commonwealth.
The potential economic advantage is considerable. Applying economic scenarios developed by the International Monetary Fund to Cyprus's GDP, the researchers calculate that AI could increase the level of the country’s GDP by €1.09 billion after ten years under the moderate scenario. This falls to €553 million in the conservative case – and rises to €1.62 billion in the optimistic scenario.
Research by the Ayre Think Tank, founded by Antiguan-Canadian philanthropist Calvin Ayre, also identifies areas where Cyprus can build on its impressive performance. Although AI use is widespread, a separate survey found that just 8.4% of young people had written a computer programme and 26.8% had changed their privacy settings. Furthermore, just 31.5% of teachers reported using AI in their teaching.
The findings highlight the importance of strengthening practical digital skills and helping young people use AI confidently and responsibly. For Cyprus's approximately 230,000 young people aged 15 to 29, strengthening these skills will help turn widespread AI adoption into better jobs, growing businesses and higher incomes.
Calvin Ayre, founder of the Ayre Think Tank, said, “I’ve spent my life in businesses where new technology changes everything, and I know you can’t stand still. AI is going to change how we work, how we do business and how wealth is created. But this is not a race that only the biggest or richest countries can win. What matters is giving young people the skills and the chance to get ahead – whether to start businesses, find jobs or build something for themselves. Some Commonwealth countries are ahead, others have catching up to do. Nobody can afford to be complacent. That’s why we created this Index. It shows countries where they stand, what they’re getting right and where they need to do better. Governments now have to decide what they’re going to do about it.”
Cyprus is already taking steps to turn its technological strengths into employment opportunities. In March 2026, it launched CySKILLS-AI, a government-backed initiative using artificial intelligence to identify the skills employers need and help schools and universities prepare young people for the jobs market. The Education Ministry is also expanding AI training, with more than 220 education officials participating in workshops in August and September. Together, these initiatives will help young Cypriots acquire the skills needed to find better jobs, develop successful businesses and contribute to economic growth.
The White Paper identifies five priorities: affordable and reliable access to technology; education that develops practical skills; stronger routes from training into employment and enterprise; AI tools suited to local languages and needs; and safeguards that enable young people to question automated decisions.
It calls on governments, educators and development partners to better understand the particular barriers young people face in each country before deciding where investment can make the greatest impact.
Professor C. Justin Robinson, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal of the University of the West Indies, Five Islands Campus, said, “We need to make sure that the next generation will be able to do more than just consume AI products made elsewhere. Access must come with its own agency and a real equitable stake in how these systems are governed. Young people need to be equipped to question these new tools, to improve them and to be supported in building alternatives suited to their own needs. Whether that happens, will depend on choices made now. This index gives us a clearer view of where those choices are most urgent. We should use it.”
The White Paper, The Ayre Index: The 2026 Commonwealth Youth AI Readiness Index, can be downloaded here:
