Shafaqna English- Artificial intelligence could widen the economic gap between rich and poor countries unless urgent global action is taken, the United Nations Development Programme warned in a new report, according to Aljazeera.
In its report The Next Great Divergence, the UNDP cautioned that AI risks reversing decades of declining global inequality by disproportionately benefiting advanced economies. Speaking in Geneva, Philip Schellekens, the agency’s chief economist, said the world may be entering “a new era of rising inequality between countries,” according to Reuters.
Asia-Pacific already accounts for more than half of global AI users and could see strong economic gains, with ASEAN economies projected to add nearly $1 trillion in GDP over the next decade. However, countries with weak digital infrastructure and skills risk falling further behind, while millions of jobs especially those held by women and youth face automation pressures.
The report urges coordinated global policies to ensure AI benefits are shared more equally and warns that unchecked inequality could fuel instability and migration.
Source: Aljazeera