Artificial intelligence can increase inequality between countries

A new report by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) warns that without careful policies, artificial intelligence could reverse a 50-year trend of reducing inequality between rich and poor countries and push the world towards a frightening phenomenon known as the “Great Divergence”.

According to UNDP, the main reason for the negative impact of artificial intelligence on development and equality is the very high speed of this technology. Adoption of AI will happen in months instead of decades, and many developing countries lack the infrastructure, skills, and governance systems to exploit it.

UNDP economists say: “The main fault line in the age of artificial intelligence is empowerment. “Countries that invest in skills and computing power will benefit, and others are at risk of falling behind.” This means that unlike the past decades when poor countries were catching up with rich countries (convergence), now there may be a big gap between them again (divergence).

The negative impact of artificial intelligence on different countries

The UN report also states that in the issue of artificial intelligence developments women and The youth The most vulnerable groups are; Jobs in which women work are almost twice as likely to be automated and replaced by artificial intelligence as men. Also, the employment of young people (especially between the ages of 22 and 25) in the jobs that artificial intelligence can do is decreasing, which threatens their career paths.

According to the United Nations, the Asia-Pacific region, which is home to 55% of the world’s population, contains strange contradictions. On the one hand, China is the leader with 70% of artificial intelligence patents, and on the other hand, 3.7 billion people in the same region do not use artificial intelligence tools at all. This digital divide means that while advanced economies (such as Singapore and South Korea) add trillions of dollars to their GDP, millions more lack access to the internet or even basic digital literacy.

Of course, this inequality can be avoided, but it requires urgent action. If managed correctly, AI can diagnose diseases faster, boost literacy and improve food systems, the UN emphasizes. Successful examples like Bangkok’s Citizen Platform or Beijing’s flood management system show that AI can benefit the public.