Key facts
- The AI revolution risks creating a divide between wealthy and impoverished nations, similar to the 19th-century industrialization.
- Countries that invest in skills, computing power, and governance systems will benefit from AI, while others may be left behind.
- Women and young adults are most vulnerable to job displacement caused by AI adoption.
- AI is projected to inject nearly $1 trillion in economic gains into Asia over the next decade.
- Entry-level workers in many South Asian nations face significant exposure to automation and AI-driven changes.
- Limited infrastructure, skills, computing power, and governance capacity in some countries amplify AI risks.
The artificial intelligence boom is poised to significantly widen economic inequality across the Asia-Pacific region, mirroring the societal divisions created by 19th-century industrialization, according to a new report from the UN Development Programme (UNDP).
Countries that make substantial investments in skills development, computing power, and robust governance systems are expected to reap the benefits of AI, while those lacking these resources risk being left behind. The report specifically highlights that women and young adults are most vulnerable to job displacement as AI adoption surges.
While AI is projected to inject nearly $1 trillion in economic gains into Asia over the next decade, entry-level workers in many South Asian nations face "significant exposure" to automation and other changes. The UNDP notes that limited infrastructure, skills, computing power, and governance capacity in these countries amplify the risks associated with AI, including job displacement and data exclusion.
To mitigate these risks and prevent a looming jobs crunch, the UNDP is urging governments to prioritize the ethical considerations of AI rollout and ensure its implementation is as inclusive as possible. The report points out that while nations like China, Singapore, and South Korea have heavily invested in and benefited from AI, many other countries are still in the early stages of adoption.
For less developed nations such as Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, and Vietnam, the focus is on utilizing existing, simpler voice-based tools for frontline health workers and farmers, rather than developing cutting-edge AI. The Asia-Pacific region, home to over 55 percent of the world's population and more than half of global AI users, is at the center of this AI transition, with China alone holding nearly 70 percent of global AI patents.