BRICS nations push for equitable AI access, strengthened cooperation

The BRICS bloc has articulated a unified position on artificial intelligence, emphasizing the need for enhanced international cooperation to ensure equitable distribution of AI capabilities and resources. The New Delhi Declaration 2026, adopted following high-level discussions among member nations, reflects a consensus that artificial intelligence represents a significant opportunity for advancing economic development and sustainability initiatives across the Global South.

The declaration highlights concerns that current AI advancement remains concentrated among wealthy nations, potentially widening development gaps. BRICS leaders have stressed the importance of creating mechanisms that allow emerging economies greater access to AI technologies and expertise, enabling them to harness the technology's benefits for their own growth trajectories.

The emphasis on cooperation signals BRICS' intent to establish alternative frameworks for AI development and deployment that prioritize the interests of developing nations. By advocating for wider resource access, the bloc seeks to position itself as a counterweight to existing global technology hierarchies and ensure that AI-driven growth benefits are more evenly distributed.

The New Delhi Declaration represents an attempt by BRICS to forge common ground on one of the most consequential technological issues of the era, with implications for how emerging markets approach digital transformation and economic competitiveness in the coming decade.