Bridging the digital divide: How the global south can harness AI for inclusive growth

Orisemeke Benjamin

The digital divide once measured access to screens; today, it measures the power to shape humanity’s next major technological leap.

As artificial intelligence transforms global economies, a critical divide has emerged between those steering the revolution and those left to adapt to its wake. Without deliberate intervention, AI risks reinforcing historical inequalities rather than alleviating them.

Across the global South, the potential of AI is already visible in practical, ground-level applications. In rural health clinics where doctors are scarce, mobile apps assist workers in diagnosing illnesses. In classrooms facing resource shortages, adaptive learning platforms tailor lessons to individual student needs.

Meanwhile, predictive AI models forecast severe weather events, offering vulnerable farming communities vital time to protect their crops. These innovations demonstrate that AI can serve as a catalyst for human development where the needs are most severe.

However, the structural realities behind these technologies paint a starkly different picture. The global AI market is expanding exponentially, yet control over its development remains concentrated among a fraction of nations and about 100 dominant corporations. This concentration creates severe imbalances.

Fewer than one-third of developing countries have established a national AI strategy, and in least developed nations, that number drops to just 12%.

Furthermore, over 100 countries predominantly across the global South are absent from international governance discussions, leaving global standards for safety, transparency, and accountability to be drafted without their perspective.

Bridging this gap requires immediate focus on three foundational pillars: infrastructure, data, and skills. Reliable electricity, broadband access, and computing power remain prerequisite requirements, yet roughly 65% of people in least developed countries remain offline.

For most developing nations, the most feasible path forward is adapting open-source models to local contexts rather than attempting to build proprietary systems from scratch. Treating data governance as a central component of national strategy separates regions that will harness AI from those where its benefits remain confined to major urban centers.

To ensure inclusive growth, international bodies advocate for structured policy frameworks. Establishing public disclosure systems similar to environmental and social governance standards can enforce accountability among industry leaders.

Furthermore, expanding shared global computing infrastructure and fostering South–South technical collaboration can lower barriers to entry. By coordinating open-source resources and supporting local capacity, the international community can ensure that AI serves as a tool for widespread human progress rather than a privilege for a select few.