Unequal AI access risks widening global inequality divide, UN warns

The deputy secretary-general of the UN's information and communications technology agency has raised alarm about what experts describe as an 'opportunity divide' in artificial intelligence, cautioning that unequal access to the technology threatens to deepen global inequality.

Nations with limited technological infrastructure and financial resources risk being marginalized in a world increasingly shaped by AI capabilities, according to the official. The disparity in AI adoption and development between developed and developing countries could determine economic competitiveness and social progress for decades to come.

The warning reflects growing international concern that AI development remains concentrated in a handful of wealthy nations and technology hubs, leaving most developing countries as passive consumers rather than active participants in shaping the technology. Without targeted interventions to democratize access and build local capacity, poorer nations may struggle to harness AI's potential benefits for their own populations.

The issue has gained prominence as governments and international organizations grapple with how to ensure AI development serves all nations equitably. Experts argue that bridging the AI opportunity divide will require coordinated efforts including technology transfer, capacity building, and infrastructure investment in developing regions.