Developing nations have called for a greater role in shaping the governance of artificial intelligence (AI), warning that the technology’s rapid advancement risks exacerbating global inequalities if its development and regulation remain concentrated in wealthier countries. The issue was a central theme at a recent United Nations Security Council session on AI held in New York, where representatives from Africa, Asia, and Latin America voiced strong concerns about the future of the technology.
Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner of the Democratic Republic of the Congo emphasized that developing countries should not be relegated to passive recipients of AI technologies or the standards that regulate them. “We must ensure that technological transformations of the 21st century do not reproduce the economic imbalances of previous decades,” she said, underscoring the need for inclusive participation in setting AI norms.
The session featured participation from leading AI experts, including Sam Altman of OpenAI and Dario Amodei of Anthropic, who highlighted the importance of international cooperation to address the complex challenges posed by AI. The wider UN debate, chaired by Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman of Bangladesh, saw a significant increase in engagement, with 128 delegations speaking on AI governance, compared to just five four years earlier. Rahman framed AI as an issue of governance involving questions about design, beneficiaries, risk bearers, and accountability.
Economic analyses underline AI’s potential to transform developing economies. A World Bank report released in August suggested that AI could enable developing countries to achieve a century’s worth of development within a decade, provided they address gaps in energy, connectivity, and skills. Similarly, the International Monetary Fund projected in July that AI could increase Sub-Saharan Africa’s economic growth by around 4% over the next ten years under favorable conditions.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres drew parallels between AI and climate change, warning that both crises reflect broader issues of power distribution. “The climate crisis went from distant warning to daily reality, and artificial intelligence moved at a speed that blindsided even those who created it,” Guterres stated. He called for coordinated global efforts to manage these interconnected challenges, emphasizing the need for equitable participation from developing countries.
Belize Prime Minister John Briceño also highlighted the dual nature of AI’s impact. He noted that with effective governance, AI could improve access to knowledge and public services. Conversely, poorly managed AI could deepen inequalities, disrupt labor markets, and increase dependency of developing countries on externally designed technologies and regulatory frameworks.
The session underscored a growing consensus that without inclusive and coordinated international frameworks, AI's benefits might bypass many developing nations, entrenching existing disparities rather than alleviating them.