UNDP Report: AI, Inequality and Global Risks
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has generated widespread excitement, but a new report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) points to a stark reality: its impact could further widen the already difficult gap between rich and poor countries.
According to the report, unless concrete steps are taken to reduce the deep divide in access to basic needs and advanced knowledge, most of the benefits of AI technologies are likely to go to wealthy nations. Comparing the current situation to the “Great Divergence” of the Industrial Revolution, the report warns of a future in which Western countries surged ahead while many others were left far behind.
Human-Centred Concerns in an AI-Driven World
Today, as AI raises concerns about changes to employment, industry and the structure of human life, the central question worldwide is how this technology will be used.
Lead author Michael Muthukrishna of the London School of Economics argues that technology-focused thinking is overshadowing the core idea that people should come first. “We are forgetting to put people before technology,” he said at the report launch event held in Bangkok.
Vulnerable Communities and the Risk of Being Left Behind
The development of AI may increase risks for communities that are still struggling with a lack of skills, education, electricity, internet and basic services. The report concludes that people displaced by war, conflict and climate disasters could become “invisible in the data,” leading to a situation where their needs are not seen at all.
Potential of AI for Public Good
Even so, the report highlights the significant potential of AI to improve agricultural advisory services, health screening, disease diagnosis, weather forecasting and disaster assessment.
AI can add considerable value to society by:
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Measuring poverty more accurately
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Analysing health risks
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Supporting faster and more transparent public decision-making
Environmental and Ethical Concerns in Wealthy Countries
Concerns are not limited to poorer countries. In wealthy nations too, there are worries that data centres, which use large amounts of energy and water, will increase environmental pressure, accelerate fossil fuel use and weaken progress made in controlling global warming.
The possibility of cyberattacks, breaches of privacy, deepfakes and the spread of misinformation has deepened ethical and security challenges.
Unequal Readiness Across Countries and Regions
According to the report, countries such as China, Japan, South Korea and Singapore are well placed to benefit from AI opportunities. In contrast, Afghanistan, the Maldives and Myanmar face major challenges due to a lack of necessary skills, infrastructure and energy.
Even within advanced economies, inequalities in access mean that some communities remain at risk of being left behind. The fact that nearly one quarter of the population in the Asia–Pacific region has no internet access makes the problem even clearer.
Call for Rules, Safeguards and Inclusive Investment
Philippe Selleckens, UNDP’s Chief Economist for Asia–Pacific, warns that if these gaps are not reduced, hundreds of thousands of people could be excluded from access to digital devices, digital payments, digital identity and modern education and skills, pushing them further away from the global economy.
On the other hand, the report notes that “black box” AI systems that spread misinformation, enable surveillance, violate privacy and reinforce bias are themselves sources of risk.
Therefore, effective regulation and protective frameworks are essential to ensure that AI is used fairly, transparently and responsibly. Emphasising the need for “a balanced approach, not technology euphoria,” Selleckens urges governments to increase investment in digital infrastructure, education, skills development, fair competition and social protection systems.
The report’s core goal is clear: to democratise access to AI so that every nation and community can use its benefits, and people who are already at risk are not pushed even further behind.
Artificial intelligence (AI)