Who We Are
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the most important modern technologies that can make a significant contribution to all areas of economic activity globally.
The promise of AI is vast, and UNIDO recognizes its pivotal role in shaping a world where adopting frontier technologies is not only about competitive pressure but collaboration, innovation, and above all, shared progress. These cutting-edge technologies are playing a crucial role in advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a particular focus on Goal 9, which emphasizes infrastructure, innovation, and sustainable industrialization.
In the rapidly evolving digital age, new technologies like AI, machine learning (ML), and intelligent automation are not just reshaping industries, they are redrawing the global map. Without careful consideration and strategic approach, these advancements could widen the chasm between rich and poor nations, funnelling investment into already advanced economies and leaving emerging ones behind. It is conceivable to redirect the current trajectory of technological advancement to serve a more inclusive purpose. Rather than allowing new technologies to create divisions, there exists a potential to harness them as a unifying force.
By adopting international partnerships and cohesive global strategies, the deployment of technologies such as AI could be guided to bridge gaps rather than widen them. This perspective aligns with the universal principles of collaboration and shared progress of UNIDO and presents a constructive pathway to ensure that technological innovation benefits all nations equally.
UNIDO launched the Global Alliance on Artificial Intelligence for Industry and Manufacturing (AIM Global) as a strategic move to broaden the spectrum of international partnerships maximizing their impact on inclusive and sustainable industrial development. The Alliance prioritizes enhancing efficiency, relevance, and effectiveness by implementing digital transformation and AI projects within the Organization’s Member States with the ultimate goal to promote “progress by innovation” globally by harnessing the potential of frontier technologies.
AIM Global is driven by the objective of fostering collaboration among stakeholders from government, industry, the private sector, academia and civil society, for the development and deployment of AI technologies. Its focus lies in enhancing industrial competitiveness, advancing sustainable development, and ensuring fair access to the benefits of AI for all. This unified strategy aims to harness AI’s positive impact on global economies and societies, in line with a broader vision of responsible and equitable dissemination of such technologies.
UNIDO launched the AIM-Global collaboration platform to unite global stakeholders under a common vision for shared prosperity, shaping the future of AI by ensuring that ethical considerations, human-centric values, and sustainability remain at the forefront of technological advancements.
The Alliance acts as a compass in the dynamic world of AI, focusing its efforts on promoting research and development (R&D), developing ethical guidelines and offering policy recommendations. It champions the adoption of best practices in the utilization of AI in industry and manufacturing nurturing an ecosystem where technology resonates with integrity and innovation.
Countries that embark on comprehensive digital strategies unlock its vast potential, seamlessly integrating AI into various sectors and enabling a new frontier of growth and opportunity. The alliance is poised at the forefront of this transformation, crafting a future where technology not only drives economic progress but also fosters global collaboration and inclusiveness.
In an era of unprecedented challenges, international collaboration is critical to ensure that all nations can equally benefit from technological advances, including AI, ML, and intelligent automation. By joining our forces, we can create an inclusive, tech-empowered future, bridging the digital divide and fostering a more equitable global landscape.
The Alliance actively seeks to identify and emphasize the profound impact of AI on vital aspects of national economies. From enhancing labor productivity and personnel qualifications to addressing pressing issues such as employment, gender equality, and youth empowerment, our focus goes beyond technology to embrace a vision of equitable AI-powered growth.
AIM Global orchestrates a comprehensive strategy that prioritizes digital skills development, bridges the digital divide, fosters collaboration, and launches synergistic multi-stakeholder initiatives. Through a carefully assessed and customised integration of advanced technologies in developing countries and economies in transition, AIM Global shapes a future where innovation fuels progress leaving no one behind.
Strategic priorities:
Facilitate AI-related research, develop ethical guidelines, and make policy recommendations for AI use on a country-, region- and global scale;
Foster the development of talent and digital skills to create an AI-savvy pool of experts, facilitating the uptake of technology and a smoother digital transition;
Ensure data protection, privacy, and trust in AI-powered systems, advocating for improved mechanisms to safeguard sensitive data;
Contribute to efforts towards bridging the digital divide between nations and industries by identifying sustainable pathways for technology uptake;
Provide sector-specific technical assistance through digitalization and AI-driven industrial development projects in Member States addressing issues associated with labor productivity, personnel qualifications, unemployment, gender mainstreaming;
Encourage collaboration and knowledge exchange by organizing seminars, conferences, workshops and other events, thereby fostering a shared understanding and mutual growth in alignment with the collective objectives of the Alliance;
Establish innovative partnership modalities and unique linkages by facilitating collaboration between public and private sectors, as well as academia and industry, leading technology providers and financial institutions, aligning disparate entities in pursuit of shared objectives and in line with the collective mission of responsible technological advancement.
Facilitate customized initiatives and roadmaps leveraging AI among the Alliance members to articulate a common agenda for the application of AI in industry and manufacturing, aligning efforts to promote responsible and effective utilization of AI.
