A recent UNDP report warns that unchecked AI growth could widen global inequalities — especially between countries that start with different levels of digital infrastructure and human‑capital readiness.
At the launch event for the report, UNDP’s Asia‑Pacific director emphasised that where a country begins its “AI journey” matters more than ever. Without deliberate, inclusive policies, AI may deepen divides instead of bridging gaps — especially hurting the most vulnerable, such as young women and under‑resourced communities.
Experts at the event called for “people‑centred” AI — meaning investments not only in compute power, but also in human skills, governance, social protections, and inclusive access. They cautioned against techno‑solutionism and argued that AI must be built with human needs, context, and equity as the foundation — not as an afterthought.
The message is clear: AI’s benefits are real — but only if countries, especially in regions like Asia‑Pacific, build robust public‑policy frameworks, invest in digital literacy and infrastructure, and ensure that marginalised communities are not excluded. Without that, AI risks accelerating a new kind of inequality.
