Global Cooperation Needed: Closing the AI Gap

Published Date: 7/08/2024

The AI revolution threatens to widen the gap between high and low-income countries, unless we take action.

The Artificial Intelligence revolution is transforming industries worldwide, offering tremendous opportunities for innovation and productivity. However, it is also exacerbating economic and social inequalities due to uneven rates of investment, adoption, and use. This emerging “AI divide” means high-income nations disproportionately benefit from AI advancements, while low- and medium-income countries, particularly in Africa, lag behind.

The workplace is where Artificial Intelligence can lead to productivity gains and improved working conditions. However, unequal access to infrastructure, technology, quality education, and training could lead to uneven adoption of AI, which would, in turn, deepen inequalities globally.

High-income countries are well-positioned to leverage AI for productivity gains, while developing countries could face bottlenecks due to a lack of digital infrastructure. This disparity could turn a temporary buffer against AI-driven changes into a long-term barrier to economic prosperity.

Global partnerships and pro-active strategies to support developing nations, including access to digital infrastructure, upskilling, and social dialogue, are necessary prerequisites to closing the technological gap and ensuring that the AI revolution doesn’t leave significant portions of the world’s population behind.

The Mind the AI Divide report, a joint effort by the ILO and the UN Office of the Secretary General’s Envoy on Technology, highlights the need for cooperation to address the AI divide. Annual investments of over $300 billion in technology to enhance computing capacity are mainly focused on higher-income nations, creating a disparity in access to infrastructure and skills development that puts developing countries and their homegrown start-ups at a severe disadvantage.

Women, particularly in clerical and business process outsourcing roles, such as call centers, are most vulnerable to the automating effects of AI. However, the research suggests that while automation risks job displacement, it also offers potential for job augmentation, improving job quality and productivity.

The report proposes three policy pillars  strengthened international cooperation, building national capacity, and addressing AI in the world of work. This includes enhancing digital infrastructure, promoting technology transfer, building AI skills, and encouraging social dialogue. To address the AI divide, we need to work together. Policymakers, industry leaders, and international organizations must collaborate to shape a fair and inclusive AI-driven future. We owe it to ourselves, our children, and future generations to ensure that the benefits of AI are shared by all.

About the International Labour Organization (ILO)  

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that is responsible for promoting social and economic justice by setting international labor standards. It was established in 1919 and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The ILO was founded in the aftermath of World War I, with the aim of promoting peace and social justice through the protection of workers' rights. Today, the ILO has 187 member states and works to promote decent work, social protection, and human rights for all.

FAQS:

Q: What is the AI divide?

A: The AI divide refers to the gap between high-income countries that have access to and are leveraging AI for productivity gains, and low- and medium-income countries that lag behind due to uneven rates of investment, adoption, and use.

Q: How can we address the AI divide?

A: To address the AI divide, we need to work together. Policymakers, industry leaders, and international organizations must collaborate to shape a fair and inclusive AI-driven future.

Q: What are the policy pillars proposed by the Mind the AI Divide report?

A: The report proposes three policy pillars: strengthened international cooperation, building national capacity, and addressing AI in the world of work.

Q: How can we ensure that the benefits of AI are shared by all?

A: To ensure that the benefits of AI are shared by all, we need to invest in education and training, promote technology transfer, and encourage social dialogue.

Q: What is the role of the ILO in addressing the AI divide?

A: The ILO is working to promote social and economic justice by setting international labor standards and advocating for the rights of workers in the context of the AI revolution.

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