The AI Opportunity: Who Benefits?

The World Bank Group’s recent focus on harnessing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve lives in developing countries has reignited a crucial debate: whether this transformative technology will widen existing divides or help bridge them. At its core, this question is not just about the tech itself but about who gets access to it and how it’s used.

While AI has the potential to revolutionize industries like healthcare, education, and agriculture, history shows that technological change often produces uneven benefits. The internet’s early adoption in the 1990s largely benefited wealthy countries, leaving many developing nations struggling to catch up. Paschal Donohoe highlights promising applications of AI-assisted farming and healthcare, but these may not be enough to address the scale of the problem.

In developing countries where electricity and data connectivity can be scarce, large-language models are impractical solutions. Instead, practical applications that tackle everyday problems will likely have a more significant impact. These “small AI” solutions require a fundamental shift in how we approach development aid. The World Bank Group’s emphasis on investing in digital infrastructure is a welcome step forward.

This should be complemented by efforts to strengthen digital skills, regulatory frameworks, and innovation ecosystems that allow local businesses to flourish. With 1.2 billion young people entering the workforce over the next two decades, the global economy needs AI to create jobs and opportunities. Prioritizing inclusion and equity in our approach is essential for achieving this goal.

The World Bank’s focus on “small AI” solutions that work within local realities is a promising start. However, trust will be the key factor in determining whether AI benefits everyone or just a select few. This requires reliable data governance, safe deployment practices, and a commitment to transparency. Policymakers, researchers, and practitioners gathering at this week’s AI for Good Global Summit must prioritize these issues if they want to ensure that the benefits of AI reach every corner of the globe.

The question is whether we will learn from history or repeat it. The choice is ours – but the clock is ticking.