Rapid spread of AI may worsen global inequality, UN warns | AI (artificial intelligence)

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) risks exacerbating global inequality due to uneven adoption and investment, warns a new United Nations report.
The UN’s independent scientific panel established its first global scientific body on AI, detailing both risks and opportunities of AI.
The report highlights that even with access to AI tools, countries may still lose control over AI standards, safeguards, and local adaptations when reliant on foreign models, cloud infrastructure, and data pipelines.
Significant investment in compute infrastructure is advisable for countries lagging behind in AI development to compete globally.
The report stresses the need for countries to develop local AI infrastructure, improve AI literacy, and invest in AI safety to capitalize on AI’s benefits while mitigating its risks.