AI’s ‘opportunity divide’ could deepen global inequality, UN official warns
Artificial intelligence risks widening the gap between rich and poor countries, potentially deepening existing social and economic inequalities, a senior United Nations official has warned.
Developing countries face significant barriers to benefitting from the AI revolution, Tomas Lamanauskas, the deputy secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a UN agency focused on information and communication technologies, told Al Jazeera. The warning came during the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) World Investment Forum in Doha, Qatar.
Infrastructure divide
Lamanauskas emphasized that the disparities are already evident in digital infrastructure, citing Africa and Latin America which together account for just 3.3 percent of global data centre capacity. He added that 2.2 billion people worldwide remain without internet access.
So you clearly see still a rather big infrastructure divide.
Adoption gap
The divide between nations is also evident in the adoption of AI. While approximately 29 percent of working-age people in developed countries use generative AI, that figure drops to 16 percent in developing nations. This affects productivity and job market opportunities.
In a December 2025 report, the UN Development Programme cautioned that AI could trigger a new era of inequality between nations, reversing decades of progress in narrowing economic disparities. Countries with unreliable power, limited connectivity, and lack of technological skills risk missing out on AI's economic gains.
Job market impact
Lamanauskas acknowledged growing concerns about AI-driven job losses, citing estimates that the technology could displace 90 million jobs while creating 170 million new ones. However, he warned that even with a 'net positive impact', many people will personally experience disruption as an estimated 40 percent of workplace skills could change by 2030.
Language inequalities also pose a challenge, with only seven percent of African languages represented in AI translation tools, limiting access for millions. According to the 2026 International AI Safety Report, about one billion people use AI for various tasks, with about 60 percent of jobs in advanced economies and 40 percent in emerging economies potentially exposed to AI impacts.
Path forward
Despite concerns, Lamanauskas said he did not believe there was a 'possibility just to stop AI' or halt its advancement. He noted that 104 countries now have AI strategies, compared with just four a decade ago. Bridging the digital infrastructure gap would require an estimated $2.8 trillion in investment by 2030.
The UN official called for greater investment in digital infrastructure, education and regulation to ensure developing countries can participate in shaping the technology. 'The way forward is really to invest to make sure that the AI benefits everyone,' he said, 'to recognise and acknowledge the fears and anxieties that people feel.'
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