Panel Discussion II: AI for an Inclusive Digital Economy

• Background

AI adoption is uneven, as large firms and advanced economies are leaping ahead, while many SMEs and developing countries risk falling behind. This panel examines how to make the digital economy inclusive so that AI’s benefits reach everyone. It will highlight initiatives that use AI to empower small businesses and communities (e.g., AI-driven microfinance or e-learning for remote areas).

• Objective

To explore policies and partnerships that close the AI divide. Panellists will discuss the infrastructure, resources, and governance needed to ensure that developing countries and smaller enterprises can leverage AI for growth and the public good.

• Expected outcomes

Concrete suggestions for capacity-building and support: promoting open-source AI tools in local languages, and mechanisms for knowledge-sharing between countries. The panel aims to identify win-win solutions that make AI accessible to all.

• Key topics

Overcoming infrastructure gaps; AI for financial inclusion, healthcare, and education in underserved regions; open data and “AI as a public good;” aligning with the UN’s Global Digital Compact principles of universality and inclusivity.