A UN report is calling on governments and private companies to establish a global AI fund aimed at ensuring developing nations can harness the benefits of artificial intelligence. The fund would provide crucial access to AI models, computing power, and training programs, allowing access for countries unable to make significant investments.

The initiative is one of the key recommendations from the UN secretary-general’s high-level advisory body on AI, which emphasises the need to avoid the same pitfalls seen with climate change—where developed nations surged ahead, leaving the global south behind.

Dame Wendy Hall, a renowned computer science professor at the University of Southampton and member of the UN advisory group, underscored the importance of action. “We have a unique opportunity to ensure AI doesn’t widen the gap between developed and developing nations,” Hall said. “If we don’t act now to establish a global AI fund, we risk creating the same disparities we saw with climate change—where wealthier countries moved forward and others were left behind.”

The report pushes for the creation of a shared repository of AI models and datasets to support the UN’s sustainable development goals, such as eradicating poverty and improving global education. Additionally, it calls for the formation of an international scientific panel on AI that would publish an annual review on the technology’s “capabilities, opportunities, risks, and uncertainties.”

Critically, the report warns that no global framework currently exists for AI governance, raising concerns about the potential for AI to be imposed on populations without their input. It advocates for regular intergovernmental dialogue to foster international cooperation and ensure fair governance.

AI governance has rapidly become a central issue on the international stage. Last year, leading AI companies and several nations agreed to a voluntary framework for testing advanced AI models. This month, the UK took a significant step by signing an international treaty designed to mitigate the risks of AI misuse.

The report's message is clear: leaving AI governance in the hands of a few developers or select countries would lead to a deeply inequitable situation. The UN believes it can play a vital role by hosting ongoing global discussions to help shape a balanced and inclusive future for AI.

As the technology continues to evolve, so too must our efforts to ensure its benefits are shared equitably across the globe.

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