There are challenging realities hidden behind the excitement surrounding artificial intelligence’s potential, such as how this technology can impact those who are already at a disadvantage in a data-driven society.
A recent assessment by the United Nations Development Programme highlights that most of the gains from AI are likely to be garnered by wealthy nations unless actions are taken to leverage its capacity to help overcome gaps in access to fundamental needs, as well as such technological know-how.
The situation is compared to the “Great Divergence” of the industrial revolution, when many Western nations experienced fast modernisation while others lagged, according to research released on Tuesday.
Given AI’s potential to alter or replace some human jobs with those performed by computers and robots, concerns about how businesses and other institutions will employ it are almost unanimous.
But while much of the attention paid to AI focuses on productivity, competitiveness, and growth, the more essential question is what it will imply for human lives, the authors argue.
The lead author of the paper, Michael Muthukrishna of the London School of Economics, told reporters, “We tend to overemphasise the role of technology.” Speaking via video at the report’s Bangkok unveiling, he stated, “We need to ensure it’s not technology first, but it’s people first.”
The risk of exclusion is a problem for elderly people, those displaced by war, civil strife, and climate disasters, and places where the majority of people still struggle to obtain skills, electricity, and internet connectivity. At the same time, such people may be “invisible” in data that will not take them into account, the research concluded.
According to the research, “AI can boost productivity as a general-purpose technology, spark new industries, and help latecomers catch up.”
Better guidance on farming, analysis of X-rays within seconds and speedier medical diagnostics, and more effective weather forecasts and damage assessments show promise for rural communities and places prone to natural catastrophes.
“AI systems that assess health, poverty, and disaster risks enable quicker, more equitable, and more transparent decisions, transforming data into ongoing learning and public value,” the statement reads.
However, the possibility of data centres consuming an excessive amount of water and electricity has sparked worries even in developed countries like the United States.
Ramping up electricity generation to satisfy greater demand may delay progress in controlling the emissions of carbon from burning fossil fuels that contribute to global warming, while also generating health problems.
Researchers have discovered that hackers are utilising AI to automate parts of cyberattacks, which presents ethical, privacy, and cybersecurity issues.
There is the concern of deepfakes that can misinform or assist illegal activities.
Asian nations, including China, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, are best placed to take advantage of AI tools, the paper states, whereas places like Afghanistan, the Maldives, and Myanmar lack skills, reliable power, and other resources needed to tap into the computational potential of AI.
Even in developed economies, certain areas are vulnerable to falling behind due to regional disparities.
About a quarter of the Asia-Pacific area lacks online access, the survey says.
If such gaps are not closed, many millions may be excluded from the kinds of devices, digital payment systems, digital IDs, and education and skills that are required to participate fully in the global economy, falling further behind, said Philip Schellekens, the UNDP’s chief economist for the Asia Pacific.
Misinformation and disinformation, privacy-violating surveillance, and “black box” technologies that perpetuate prejudices against minorities or other groups are further hazards.
So openness and effective rules are critical guardrails for ensuring AI is utilised in fair and accountable ways, he said.
Schellekens stated, “We think we need more balance and less hysteria and hype.”
AI is becoming vital for modern life, like electricity, roads, and now the internet; therefore, governments need to invest more in digital infrastructure, education and training, fair competition, and social rights, the paper concludes.
“The goal,” it states, “is to democratize access to AI so that every country and community can benefit while protecting those most at risk from disruption.”
