Digital divide

South Korea to launch free national AI service

South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT has announced plans to launch the ‘AI for Everyone’ project this year, providing a homegrown AI service that anyone in the country can use free of charge without usage limits.

The ministry will select participating companies through an open call for proposals. A beta version is scheduled for late September, followed by the launch of a general-purpose AI chatbot and an AI agent to help users search for and apply for public services.

According to the ministry, the project aims to reduce reliance on overseas AI services while narrowing the digital divide. It also responds to concerns about restrictions on free AI services and possible changes by global technology companies. The nationwide service is expected to launch before the end of 2026.

Why does it matter?

The initiative combines digital inclusion with technological sovereignty by offering unrestricted access to a domestically developed AI service. Removing cost and usage limits could broaden AI adoption while integrating generative AI more closely into public services.

The project also reflects a wider international trend of governments investing in national AI capabilities to reduce dependence on foreign providers. As AI becomes part of essential digital infrastructure, countries are increasingly seeking greater control over the services, platforms and data that underpin public-sector AI deployment.

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UNDP scales blockchain-based digital payment solutions

The UN Development Programme and the Stellar Development Foundation have expanded cooperation on blockchain-based digital payment solutions for development and humanitarian use.

The partnership aims to support more transparent, efficient and low-cost digital transfers, including for humanitarian aid, remittances and national cash transfer programmes.

According to UNDP, recent work has tested whether blockchain-based payment flows can function under real operational constraints, including weak connectivity, high transaction friction and limited access to traditional financial services.

Pilot activity has included projects in Haiti, Guatemala and The Gambia, where teams examined how digital transfers could support households, microbusinesses and programme accountability.

The expanded cooperation is intended to help UNDP country offices assess and integrate validated digital payment solutions across areas such as humanitarian response, social protection and financial inclusion.

UNDP said the work will include operational guidance, safeguards and support for country teams considering blockchain-based payment tools.

The Stellar Development Foundation will continue providing technical and ecosystem expertise as the initiative develops.

The effort reflects growing interest in using digital assets and shared-ledger infrastructure for practical development applications, rather than only financial-market activity.

Why does it matter?

The expansion shows that blockchain-based payment systems are being tested for development and humanitarian delivery, not just for crypto trading or private financial markets. If implemented carefully, digital payments can reduce transfer friction, improve traceability and help reach people in areas with limited banking access. The policy challenge is to ensure that efficiency gains do not come at the expense of safeguards, data protection, accountability, user choice, or local financial system resilience.

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UNCTAD says digital divide goes beyond internet access

UNCTAD has warned that closing the digital divide now requires more than expanding internet access, as AI reshapes trade, production and development prospects.

The organisation said digital inclusion increasingly depends on whether developing countries can use digital tools and AI to build productive capacity, support local firms, create jobs and expand trade opportunities.

Its analysis argues that digital skills, institutional capacity, data governance and fairer participation in the digital economy must match connectivity.

UNCTAD said developing countries need stronger local expertise and greater influence over how data is governed, rather than relying only on digital trade arrangements shaped by larger economies.

Building domestic AI and data capacity through skills development, technology transfer and policy support could reduce long-term dependence on foreign platforms, infrastructure and funding.

The article also points to examples of national capacity-building, including Ghana’s efforts to develop local technical expertise for digital policy.

UNCTAD also pointed out its work on e-commerce, digital trade, data governance and the digital economy supports countries in identifying policy options suited to their development needs.

The organisation also highlighted tools such as its Frontier Technologies Readiness Index and Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Reviews as ways to help governments assess readiness and strengthen digital policy.

Why does it matter?

UNCTAD’s framing shows that the digital divide is becoming a question of capability rather than connectivity alone. Countries may have internet access but still lack the skills, institutions, data governance and domestic technology base needed to benefit from AI-driven economic change. The issue is therefore moving from infrastructure policy into trade, development, technology transfer and digital sovereignty debates. For developing countries, the risk is not only being offline, but also being dependent on external platforms and excluded from shaping the rules and value chains of the AI economy.

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UNESCO highlights civil servants’ role in AI governance

UNESCO’s AI literacy training for civil servants has highlighted the importance of public-sector capacity in responsible AI governance.

The programme focuses on AI ethics, governance, risk management and responsible use, rather than only on productivity tools or prompt-writing skills.

UNESCO said many participants initially expected practical training on AI tools, but later connected issues such as accountability, transparency, bias, procurement and oversight to their own public-sector responsibilities.

The experience showed that meaningful human oversight depends not only on technical safeguards inside AI systems, but also on the capacity of officials involved in procuring, deploying, regulating and monitoring those systems.

UNESCO said participants often finished the programme with more questions than they had at the beginning. The organisation framed that as a sign of growing awareness of the complexity of AI governance, not as a lack of understanding.

Localisation also proved important. Through the AI Ethics Experts Without Borders network, training was adapted to national contexts and delivered in languages used by officials in their daily work, including cohorts in Egypt and Tunisia.

UNESCO said AI literacy should be seen as a foundation for broader institutional readiness, including risk assessment methods, procurement guidance, monitoring processes, internal governance structures and cross-government coordination.

Why does it matter?

AI governance often focuses on principles, laws and technical safeguards, but implementation depends on the officials who must apply those tools in practice. Civil servants involved in procurement, regulation, service delivery and oversight need enough AI literacy to ask informed questions, identify risks and challenge vendor or institutional assumptions. Without that capacity, “human oversight” can become a procedural checkbox rather than a meaningful accountability mechanism.

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UN chief urges global rules for AI governance

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged governments, companies and civil society to move faster on global AI governance, warning that the technology is already reshaping economies, security and human rights. Speaking at the inaugural UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance in Geneva, he said any future agreement must be ‘worthy of global trust’ and place safety at its centre.

Guterres said AI ‘sits at the heart of our common future’, but stressed that humans must remain responsible for critical decisions. In high-risk areas such as justice, healthcare and policing, he warned that ‘machines can inform, but humans must decide, and answer’.

He also said that AI rules must be aligned internationally, adding: ‘When countries align on how to test systems, measure risk and assign responsibility, safety travels with the technology.’ Without such alignment, he warned, ‘a patchwork of incompatible rules raises costs, divides the world – and protects no one.’

Children’s safety was presented as a central concern. Guterres called for an AI Child Safety Pledge, saying: ‘No child should be a guinea pig for unregulated AI…We do not let medicine reach a child until it is proven safe. We test every toy; yet AI has reached our children – their learning, their friendships, their most private questions, before anyone asked what it would do to them.’

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He also said that when a child shows signs of distress, ‘the system must stop and connect them to real human support’, and added: ‘When a child is harmed, the answer must never be “the algorithm did it,”’.

The UN chief also warned that unequal access to AI could deepen global divides. Used well and shared widely, he said, AI ‘could compress decades of development into years’ and become ‘the great equalizer of the 21st century’. However, he cautioned: ‘We cannot allow the digital divide to harden into an AI divide and the AI divide to become a development gap, a security gap, and a sovereignty gap.’

Environmental impact was another major focus. Guterres called on major AI companies to disclose the carbon, water and land footprint of their systems and to power all data centres with renewable energy by 2030. ‘AI may feel intangible – but its footprint is not,’ he said, warning that data centres already consume more electricity than most countries and could soon place even greater pressure on power and water systems.

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UN Global Dialogue opens debate on AI risks and governance

The first UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance has opened in Geneva, bringing governments, technology companies, researchers and civil society together to discuss international cooperation on AI.

The Dialogue was established through the Global Digital Compact to provide an inclusive UN forum for sharing experiences, identifying governance gaps and discussing how AI can be developed and used safely.

The meeting follows the release of the first preliminary report by the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI. The report provides an evidence-based assessment of AI’s opportunities, risks and societal impacts for UN member states.

The Panel warned that AI capabilities are advancing faster than scientific understanding and that many governments’ ability to respond is lagging. It said AI could support economic growth, public services and scientific discovery, but that the risk of serious or catastrophic harm cannot yet be ruled out.

Participants also highlighted the widening AI divide. Advanced economies and major technology companies hold most of the infrastructure, data, investment and expertise needed to build and govern advanced AI systems, while many developing countries risk remaining dependent on external models and platforms.

The Dialogue is intended to support more open and inclusive discussion on AI governance, including safety, accountability, access, capacity-building and international coordination.

It takes place in Geneva on 6 and 7 July alongside the AI for Good Global Summit and WSIS Forum.

Why does it matter?

The Geneva Dialogue is important because it gives all UN member states a place to discuss AI governance, not only countries and companies with the most advanced AI systems. The scientific panel’s report also raises the stakes by linking rapid AI progress to governance gaps, misuse risks and the possibility of serious harm. The AI divide is equally significant: countries without infrastructure, expertise and local control over AI systems may struggle to shape rules, protect their interests and benefit from AI-driven development.

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AI for Good Global Commission launches to expand trusted AI access

Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, Salesforce Chair and CEO Marc Benioff and International Telecommunication Union Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin have announced the launch of the AI for Good Global Commission.

The Commission brings together more than 40 founding members, including heads of state and government, technology executives and heads of UN agencies.

It is co-chaired by Kagame and Benioff, with Bogdan-Martin serving as vice-chair. ITU said the Commission will work to identify practical pathways to strengthen trust, expand access and unlock AI’s potential to address real-world challenges.

The initiative will focus on technical, socioeconomic and policy questions around AI, with an emphasis on responsible innovation, human capability and broad-based economic and social benefits.

Access is a central part of the Commission’s mandate. ITU said 2.2 billion people remain offline, limiting their ability to benefit from AI developments.

The Commission builds on ITU/UNESCO Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development, which has focused on connectivity, digital inclusion and economic development.

Its inaugural meeting will take place during the AI for Good Global Summit 2026 from 7 to 10 July. The Summit is part of Digital Week, which also includes the first UN-mandated Global Dialogue on AI Governance and the WSIS Forum 2026.

Why does it matter?

The AI for Good Global Commission places digital inclusion at the centre of global AI governance debates. Its launch highlights a key challenge: many countries and communities cannot benefit from AI if they lack connectivity, infrastructure, skills and institutional capacity. The Commission’s relevance will depend on whether it can move beyond high-level commitments and help turn access, trust and responsible innovation into practical support for developing countries.

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UNESCO expands digital literacy training for educators

Around 10,000 literacy educators worldwide have completed a UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning digital skills course designed to strengthen the use of technology in literacy education.

The multilingual course was launched in December 2025 by the Secretariat of the Global Alliance for Literacy, in collaboration with Huawei. It is available in Arabic, English, French and Spanish.

The programme focuses on practical digital skills that educators can apply in literacy classrooms. It also encourages participants to use digital tools responsibly, evaluate online information critically and understand how technologies, including AI, shape learning and information use.

UNESCO said literacy today goes beyond reading and writing, requiring learners and educators to navigate digital environments and participate confidently in societies increasingly mediated by technology.

The course is delivered through 11 self-paced sessions and encourages educators to reflect on their teaching practice while developing new skills.

Participants from countries including Mexico, Pakistan and Togo reported stronger confidence in using digital tools, more learner-centred teaching approaches and greater use of collaboration and assessment technologies.

UNESCO said national and municipal adult education agencies, adult learning providers and UNESCO Learning Cities are helping expand the course across countries.

Why does it matter?

Digital literacy is becoming essential for both educators and learners, especially as AI and online platforms reshape access to information. Training literacy educators first can create a multiplier effect, helping adult learners and underserved communities build practical digital skills, critical thinking and confidence in online environments. The programme also shows how international education initiatives are moving beyond access to focus on effective and responsible use of technology.

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UN experts call for gender-responsive AI governance

UN human rights experts have warned that AI and related digital technologies could deepen gender inequalities if they are developed and deployed without meaningful regulation.

The Working Group on discrimination against women and girls said AI is reshaping the conditions in which women and girls exercise their rights. In a report to the Human Rights Council, the experts said the absence of gender-responsive AI governance could amplify exclusion, reinforce harmful stereotypes and worsen structural inequalities.

The report says AI and digital technologies can support gender equality when designed responsibly, including by expanding access to education, healthcare, financial services and justice. However, the experts warned that poorly governed systems can also create new forms of exclusion across political, civic and economic life.

The Working Group identified three urgent preconditions for substantive gender equality in the digital age: closing the digital divide, ensuring that AI and digital technologies support rather than undermine women’s and girls’ human rights, and promoting their meaningful participation and leadership in public and political life.

The experts also raised concern over gendered harms linked to AI and digital technologies, including technology-facilitated gender-based violence, mass surveillance, armed conflict, lethal autonomous weapons and climate-related impacts.

They called on states to adopt human rights-based and feminist approaches to AI governance, strengthen regulation and accountability, and ensure that women and girls can participate meaningfully in technological development and decision-making.

The Working Group said technology must serve equality, human rights and human dignity, framing gender-responsive AI governance as an obligation rather than an optional policy choice.

Why does it matter?

The report frames AI governance as a gender equality and human rights issue, not only a technical or innovation challenge. Without gender-responsive rules, AI systems can reproduce discrimination through biassed data, unequal access, surveillance, online violence and exclusion from decision-making. The report also matters because it connects AI policy with digital inclusion and political participation, areas where women and girls are often affected by overlapping forms of discrimination.

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Armenian finance minister highlights AI’s economic potential and risks

Armenia’s Finance Minister Vahe Hovhannisyan said AI could support economic growth while also creating new economic and labour-market challenges. He made the comments during a parliamentary discussion on the performance of the 2025 state budget.

Hovhannisyan said the impact of AI is being widely debated internationally and that governments around the world are actively exploring its economic implications. He was responding to questions about AI’s potential effect on GDP growth and the expansion of the tax base.

The minister cited international estimates suggesting that AI adoption could add approximately 0.8 to 1 percentage point to economic growth. He said AI has the potential to generate new forms of employment while supporting productivity and economic growth.

At the same time, Hovhannisyan warned that AI could disrupt existing jobs and create adjustment challenges for labour markets. The remarks were made during discussions on Armenia‘s 2025 budget performance, as the government’s 2026 budget projects economic growth of 5,4%.

Why does it matter?

The comments reflect a broader global debate about AI’s economic impact. Policymakers increasingly view AI as a potential driver of productivity, innovation and economic growth, while also recognising the possibility of labour-market disruption and changing workforce demands.

For emerging economies such as Armenia, the challenge is not only adopting AI technologies but also ensuring that workers and businesses can benefit from them. The long-term impact of AI on growth, employment and public finances will depend on investment, skills development and the ability to adapt to technological change.

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