How AI Will Reshape Global Development Beyond the SDGs

The Role of AI in Disaster Governance and Global Development

Importance of Strengthening Governance Systems

• The deployment of tools must enhance disaster governance, minimizing confusion and misinformation.

• Emphasis on the need for systems that support effective disaster management as we progress towards 2030.

Progress and Challenges Post-Sendai Framework

• The Sendai framework aims to reduce mortality; however, economic impacts from disasters are rising significantly.

• A call for deeper transformation is necessary to address underlying issues rather than just focusing on solvable problems.

Utilizing AI for Long-term Resilience

• Advocates for using AI tools to inform housing policies aimed at global resilience over the next two decades.

• The focus should be on preventing loss of infrastructure through innovative solutions.

Inclusion and Accessibility in an AI-driven World

Addressing Structural Disadvantages

• Success in an AI-driven world requires not only technological advancement but also inclusion, affordability, and access.

• Current innovation is concentrated among large companies, leaving startups and emerging economies at a disadvantage.

Building Affordable AI Solutions

• An example from a legal tech founder highlights the use of open-source models to democratize access to advanced tools.

• Governments play a crucial role in providing resources like subsidized computing power and nurturing startup ecosystems.

Human-Centric Approach to AI Development

Maintaining Human Judgment in AI Integration

• It’s essential that human judgment remains central to AI applications; technology should complement rather than replace expertise.

Workforce Upskilling Initiatives

• Continuous upskilling of the workforce is vital for both public and private sectors as we advance into an AI-centric future.

Practical Applications of AI by the World Bank

Real-world Utilization of Technology

• Focus on practical solutions that leverage existing technologies without waiting for all prerequisites (like energy or data sets).

Developing Localized Solutions

• The World Bank emphasizes creating affordable, locally relevant "small AI" solutions tailored to specific community needs.

Vision for Future Innovations with AI

Aspirations for Global Impact by 2040

• A vision where individuals from underrepresented regions can achieve significant recognition through research enabled by accessible technology.

Learning from Past Innovations

• Highlights how rapid advancements can occur when knowledge sharing takes place between innovators across different contexts.

Collaborative Pathways for AI Development

Vision for 2030

• The goal is to collaboratively create 100 pathways across various sectors and countries by 2030, with ongoing support from organizations like Google, the World Bank, and the UN.

• The speaker expresses hope that this vision will come to fruition, emphasizing the importance of collective effort in achieving these goals.

Observations on AI and Development

• Vilasdar highlights the significance of choosing to engage in discussions about AI and development amidst numerous other sessions, which instills a sense of hope.

• As a leader at the Patrick Day McGovern Foundation, he notes their substantial investment in AI for good—over half a billion dollars aimed at building an ecosystem focused on purposeful AI.

Critique of Current Metrics

• Vilasdar critiques the focus on diffuse metrics in capacity building within development contexts, pointing out that discussions often center around technology companies rather than broader societal impacts.

• He likens current trends in AI diffusion to "trickle-down economics," arguing against celebrating only a few successful pilots while neglecting systemic empowerment for all.

Recommendations for Future Action

• Three pragmatic steps are proposed:

• Align public investment with private sector funding to ensure equitable growth.

• Shift focus from solutions to establishing rights-based frameworks that guide future developments.

• Foster inclusive public conversations about technology's role in society, ensuring democratic participation in shaping developmental outcomes.

Conclusion of First Panel

• The first panel concludes with appreciation for participants' time management and contributions, highlighting both achievements and areas needing attention moving forward.

Introduction of Second Panel Speakers

Transition to Next Discussion

• Acknowledgment of the first panel's success leads into preparations for a second panel discussion featuring new speakers.

New Perspectives on Inclusion and Responsibility

• Introduction of diverse speakers including leaders from startups and established organizations within the UN system aims to bring fresh insights into issues surrounding inclusion, risk, and responsibility related to AI.

AI's Role in Financial Inclusion and Development

Introduction to the Discussion

• The session opens with a question about the risks of exclusion, fragmentation in international development cooperation, and inequality as AI reshapes development pathways.

• Bipinpreet Singh introduces himself as the Founder of MobiQuick, a FinTech company in India that serves over 180 million users and millions of small businesses.

Perspectives on AI and Financial Inclusion

• Bipinpreet emphasizes that AI can significantly reduce exclusion and enhance financial inclusion in India's diverse socio-economic landscape.

• He identifies three key aspects for increasing financial inclusion through AI:

• Ease of Use: Transitioning from English-based apps to native language interfaces.

• Trust: Reducing user anxiety around digital products, especially for those who are not literate.

• Financial Literacy: Educating users on complex financial products to improve understanding and usage.

Bridging Builders and Beneficiaries

• Safia, co-founder of Karya, highlights the importance of recognizing low-income individuals as both builders and beneficiaries of AI technology.

• She argues against viewing these groups separately; true empowerment comes when they are included in conversations from the start.

• Emphasizing diversity in building processes is crucial to ensure that AI models are contextually relevant and beneficial.

Concerns About Power Concentration

• Professor Suria Ganguly expresses concern over the concentration of power within a few companies controlling AI capabilities.

• He advocates for open dissemination of scientific knowledge to combat inequality driven by AI adoption.

• Suria points out that significant advancements in AI stemmed from academic research rather than corporate efforts alone.

• He calls for strong public investment in publicly funded AI initiatives akin to CERN for fostering equitable access to technology.

The Future of AI and Global Development

The Impact of AI on Society

• The speaker emphasizes the transformative potential of AI, suggesting it could surpass the technological advancements seen from particle physics, particularly in terms of global knowledge dissemination.

• Acknowledgment of the 2017 AI for Good Summit highlights ongoing discussions about leveraging AI for societal benefits, with a focus on public investment.

Addressing Inequality through AI

• The UNDP representative discusses how inequality is a defining characteristic in global development and stresses that while AI can accelerate social progress, its benefits may not be evenly distributed.

• Concerns are raised about whether certain countries will disproportionately benefit from AI advancements, leading to greater wealth and scientific achievement disparities.

Building Capacity for Inclusive Growth

• Investment in ecosystems is deemed crucial; this includes data governance and institutional capacity to manage changes brought by AI effectively.

• Emphasis on building trust through inclusion is highlighted as essential for closing equity gaps exacerbated by rapid AI integration.

Long-term Perspectives on Inequality

• Claire reflects on the historical context of technology adoption, noting that existing inequalities will influence how different regions adopt and benefit from AI technologies.

• It’s pointed out that new technologies often create inequality; thus, understanding these patterns is vital to addressing systemic issues rather than just speed differences in adoption.

Policy Recommendations for Equitable Development

• The discussion shifts towards policy frameworks needed to address potential inequalities arising from uneven adoption rates of AI technologies.

• Three key areas are identified: incentives for developers and policymakers, necessary investments to tackle structural issues, and ensuring interoperability among various systems to maximize impact.

Civil Society's Role in Technological Evolution

• Osama raises concerns regarding past technological innovations like the internet being controlled by a few companies, stressing the need for broader access and understanding of technology's implications.

• He critiques how previous technologies have sometimes led to societal disintegration rather than unity, urging caution when discussing future innovations.

AI's Virtues and Challenges

Understanding AI's Implications

• The speaker explores the perceived virtues of AI, highlighting negative aspects such as discrimination, hallucination, environmental degradation, exclusion, prejudice, algorithmic manipulation, data mining, bias, inequalities, profiling fabrication.

• Emphasizes the importance of safeguards when utilizing technology to address humanity's problems. Questions what measures should be in place to mitigate these issues.

Future Considerations for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• Discusses the future of SDGs by 2030 and stresses that technology must align with social systems. Calls for a thoughtful approach to integrating technology and data into societal frameworks.

Governmental Challenges in AI Implementation

• Highlights significant challenges governments face regarding infrastructure; mentions that 70 countries have deployed 5G networks but emphasizes the need for foundational technologies before implementing AI.

• Points out language barriers in software development and stresses the necessity for digitalization and standardization of data in Latin America to ensure inclusivity in AI applications.

Economic and Social Risks of AI

• Addresses job displacement due to AI as not only an economic issue but also a social one. Uses Costa Rica as an example where increased life expectancy coupled with low fertility rates poses risks to pension systems.

• Raises questions about career structures in light of job displacement from AI. Suggests a shift towards shorter certification programs to help displaced workers reintegrate into employment.

Final Reflections on Systemic Transformation

• Concludes with remarks on the need for systemic transformation rather than merely viewing AI as another technological wave. Stresses awareness of potential consequences associated with rapid diffusion of AI technologies.

• Reinforces the significance of political will and investment in infrastructure while considering local contexts like linguistic and cultural factors essential for effective implementation.

• Highlights the importance of keeping people at the center during discussions about technology’s impact on lives and livelihoods while ensuring responsibility remains a focal point.

Upcoming Global Dialogues

• Mentions upcoming global dialogues related to ITU's "AI for Good" initiative and other forums that intersect with these discussions about responsible tech deployment.