How AI Could Deepen the Global Divide and What’s Being Done

The rise of artificial intelligence is moving fast. It can now write computer code, create images and videos, and even help discover new medicines. AI predicts the structures of more than 200 million proteins and speeds up drug discovery. It also improves healthcare by detecting diseases like breast cancer earlier. These are real breakthroughs. But there is a catch.

The United Nations warns that AI’s rapid spread could make global inequality worse. The US holds about three-quarters of the computing power behind the most powerful AI supercomputers. China has around 15 percent. Most advanced AI models come from companies based in these two countries. Meanwhile, many developing nations lack the infrastructure, local language data, and investment to benefit.

More than 2 billion people are completely offline. This means they can’t access AI tools at all. Even when AI tools are available, access alone does not guarantee equal benefit. The UN report stressed this point clearly. Without proper support, AI might widen the gap between rich and poor countries.

AI’s Double-Edged Impact

AI helps in many areas beyond medicine. It supports scientific research, makes life easier for people with disabilities, personalizes education, and offers mental health support. Some AI systems can even detect food insecurity early. These uses could improve lives globally.

But AI also has a darker side. It fuels online abuse, spreads disinformation, and enables cybercrime. It can reinforce harmful beliefs and worsen mental health problems, including suicide. AI’s growing autonomy makes it harder to monitor and control. Without stronger safeguards, risks rise.

Data centers powering AI consume huge amounts of energy. They add to greenhouse gas emissions and environmental damage. This impact falls unevenly across regions, adding another layer to inequality.

Global Governance and the Path Forward

The UN created the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence in 2025. This panel is the first global scientific body dedicated to AI. It includes 40 experts from around the world. Their work is scientific, not political. They assess AI risks, opportunities, and impacts. The panel produces reports to help governments make informed decisions.

Governance systems today were not designed for AI’s fast evolution. More than 40 AI governance frameworks and ethical guidelines exist, but they are fragmented. Few have been tested for effectiveness. The UN calls for stronger independent evaluation, international cooperation, and common standards to ensure AI safety, transparency, and accountability.

The UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance will begin in Geneva on July 6, 2026. This event aims to bring countries together to discuss AI rules and policies. UN Secretary General António Guterres warned, “The more AI advances without shared rules, the less say governments and people will have in the outcome.”

The future of AI depends on choices made today by governments, companies, and societies. Without coordinated action, AI risks deepening the global divide. But with responsible development and regulation, AI can become a tool for shared progress.