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-Editorial
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the global economy, offering vast potential for innovation and productivity. However, the 2025 Technology and Innovation Report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) warns that without immediate policy action, AI’s benefits could remain concentrated in a few countries and companies, exacerbating global inequalities.
The report estimates AI will reach a market value of $4.8 trillion by 2033, becoming a central force in digital transformation. Yet, access to AI technologies, infrastructure, and expertise remains limited. Just 100 companies—mainly in the United States and China—account for 40% of global corporate AI research and development spending. Tech giants like Apple, Nvidia, and Microsoft each hold market values approaching $3 trillion, rivaling the combined GDP of the African continent.
UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan emphasized the need to prioritize people in AI development, calling for stronger international cooperation to create a global framework for inclusive AI governance. “We must shift the focus from technology to people,” she said, encouraging countries to co-create policies that place human needs at the center of AI advancements.
AI’s economic impact extends beyond market value. The report notes that up to 40% of global jobs could be affected by AI technologies, raising concerns over automation and job displacement. While AI has the potential to create new industries and empower workers, the gains often favor capital over labor—threatening to widen the wealth gap and undermine the value of low-cost labor in developing economies.
UNCTAD stresses the importance of proactive labor policies, including investment in reskilling, upskilling, and workforce adaptation, to ensure AI enhances rather than eliminates employment opportunities.
To help countries effectively integrate AI into their development strategies, UNCTAD outlines three priority areas: digital infrastructure, access to data, and skills development. Strengthening these areas will determine a country’s ability to adopt AI technologies and align innovation with national socioeconomic goals.
Despite AI’s growing importance, 118 countries—mostly from the Global South—are not represented in major global discussions on AI governance. UNCTAD urges inclusive global policymaking to ensure AI supports sustainable development rather than reinforcing existing power structures.
The report recommends international actions to support inclusive AI growth: establishing a global AI disclosure framework similar to ESG standards, creating shared infrastructure facilities for equitable access, promoting open innovation models, and boosting South-South cooperation to build local AI capabilities.
UNCTAD concludes that the time to act is now. With coordinated investment, inclusive governance, and a people-centered approach, AI can become a driver of global progress and shared prosperity. Without such efforts, however, the world risks allowing AI to deepen existing divides rather than bridging them.