A new United Nations report warns that the rapid global expansion of artificial intelligence could significantly widen economic and technological inequality unless governments act to ensure its benefits are shared more broadly. Prepared by an independent panel of 40 international AI experts, the report notes that while more than one billion people now use AI each week, access to advanced AI infrastructure, talent, and investment remains heavily concentrated in a small number of countries—particularly the United States and China.
The report argues that simply providing access to AI tools is not enough to achieve equitable development. Many lower-income countries rely on foreign AI models, cloud services, and digital infrastructure, limiting their ability to shape AI according to local languages, cultural contexts, and national priorities. It also highlights practical barriers such as limited internet connectivity—around 2 billion people remain offline—and insufficient AI literacy, which risk leaving large parts of the world behind as AI adoption accelerates.
Beyond economic concerns, the panel identifies several emerging risks associated with increasingly capable AI systems. These include the spread of misinformation, cyberattacks, biological threats, deceptive AI behavior, and environmental pressures from growing data center infrastructure. The experts warn that AI capabilities are advancing faster than governments' ability to evaluate and regulate them, making international cooperation and evidence-based governance increasingly urgent.
To address these challenges, the report recommends investing in domestic AI infrastructure, strengthening governance institutions, improving AI education and digital literacy, monitoring AI systems after deployment, and fostering international collaboration. It also emphasizes that countries seeking AI sovereignty should develop their own computing capacity and governance frameworks rather than relying entirely on foreign AI providers. Alongside the report, the UN announced the AI for Good Global Commission to bring together governments, researchers, and technology leaders to help shape responsible global AI governance.
