Full Breakdown
UN ICT Official Warns AI Divide Could Deepen Global Inequality
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Warning at UNCTAD Forum
At the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) World Investment Forum in Doha, Tomas Lamanauskas, deputy secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), warned that unequal access to artificial intelligence (AI) may turn the “digital divide” into a broader “opportunity divide.” He said the gap could “deepen the socioeconomic divide,” posing a major risk for poorer nations.
Scale of the Emerging Gap
Lamanauskas highlighted several quantitative gaps. Africa and Latin America together hold only 3.3 % of global data-centre capacity, while 2.2 billion people worldwide still lack internet access. Usage of generative AI is about 29 % of working-age adults in developed countries versus 16 % in developing nations. He cited estimates that AI could displace 90 million jobs but also create 170 million new ones, and that roughly 40 % of workplace skills may change by 2030. Language representation is limited, with only 7 % of African languages covered by AI translation tools. The 2026 International AI Safety Report estimates about 1 billion people currently use AI, and projects that AI-related impacts could affect 60 % of jobs in advanced economies and 40 % in emerging economies.
Official Responses and Calls for Investment
Lamanauskas stressed that halting AI development is unrealistic, noting that 104 countries now have AI strategies compared with just four a decade earlier. He urged greater investment in digital infrastructure, education and regulation to ensure developing nations can shape the technology.
Verbatim Quotes
- “There is a risk … I think the AI divide is really the big concern because it’s really not just about the digital divide,” — Tomas Lamanauskas, UN official
- “So that’s really the worrying part.” — Tomas Lamanauskas, UN official
- “This actually affects your ability to be productive and to be part of job-market opportunities,” — Tomas Lamanauskas, UN official
