New York – A landmark United Nations report warns that the artificial intelligence revolution risks exacerbating deep global inequalities, creating a modern-day “Great Divergence” where wealthy nations reap historic gains while poorer countries are left further behind.
The report, released today by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), sounds an urgent alarm that without proactive safeguards, strategic investment, and inclusive governance, AI could become a driver of exclusion rather than a tool for universal progress.
A New Industrial Revolution, An Old Risk
The analysis draws a stark parallel between the current moment and the 19th-century Industrial Revolution, which cemented economic and technological dominance for a handful of Western nations. Similarly, the UN warns that advanced economies—with their existing advantages in capital, digital infrastructure, and skilled workforces—are positioned to capture the lion’s share of a projected $4.8 trillion AI market by 2033.
“We are at a pivotal juncture,” a UNDP senior official stated. “AI offers immense potential to accelerate human development, but its benefits are not automatic. If left to market forces alone, it will concentrate wealth and knowledge, leaving the least developed behind in a new kind of data-age poverty.”
Widening Gaps Within and Between Nations
The report outlines a cascade of potential harms. Beyond the gap between nations, AI threatens to deepen fissures within societies. Vulnerable and marginalized communities, often underrepresented in data sets and with lower digital literacy, face amplified discrimination through biased algorithms, lost livelihoods due to automation, and exclusion from next-generation services.
For countries with weaker institutions and limited social safety nets, the dual challenges of managing AI’s disruption to labor markets and regulating powerful technologies pose significant governance threats. The report stresses that job displacement may hit developing economies hardest, particularly in sectors like clerical work and services, before they can build competitive AI industries of their own.
A Call for Deliberate Action, Not Passive Hope
In response, the UNDP issues a forceful call to action for global cooperation and national strategy. Key recommendations include:
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Bridging the Digital Divide: Massive public and private investment in universal digital infrastructure, affordable connectivity, and computational resources is non-negotiable.
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Investing in Human Capital: Education systems must be overhauled to build AI literacy and adaptable skillsets, with a focus on STEM and critical thinking from primary levels onward.
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Building Inclusive Governance: Developing robust, ethical AI regulatory frameworks that protect human rights, ensure transparency, and promote equitable access is crucial.
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Directing AI for Development: Actively steering AI innovation to address local challenges, such as climate-smart agriculture, personalized healthcare, and efficient public services.
The Rwanda Model and the Competitive Imperative
The report underscores that adapting to the AI era is a matter of economic sovereignty. It points to nations like Rwanda, which has proactively used strategic branding and digital policy to attract investment, as an example of the deliberate posture needed. In the AI age, such national strategies will determine competitive advantage.
“This is not just about technology; it’s about power, equity, and the future shape of our societies,” the report concludes. “The ‘Next Great Divergence’ is not inevitable. It is a choice. With collective will and inclusive design, AI can be harnessed to close development gaps, not widen them.”
The warning places AI governance at the center of the global sustainable development agenda, challenging world leaders to act before the new divides harden.
