Keynote-Brad Smith

19 Feb 2026 13:15h - 13:30h

Keynote-Brad Smith

Session at a glance

Summary

In his keynote address at the first AI summit in the Global South, Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith focused on how artificial intelligence could either close or widen the economic divide between the Global North and South. Smith argued that the world’s most enduring economic divide stems from a technology divide, drawing parallels to electricity’s uneven global distribution over the past 144 years, noting that 700 million people still lack access to electricity today. He emphasized that AI represents perhaps the most significant technology of this century and will play a crucial role in determining whether this economic gap narrows or expands.

Smith outlined three essential requirements for AI to benefit the Global South effectively. First, massive infrastructure investment is needed, including data centers, connectivity, and electricity, with Microsoft committing $50 billion by year-end for AI infrastructure in the Global South, particularly in India. Second, comprehensive skills development is crucial, as infrastructure alone is insufficient without training people to use AI effectively across all generations and industries. Third, AI must be adapted to work effectively in languages other than English and address problems specific to the Global South, such as agriculture improvements and food security in Africa.

Smith acknowledged growing concerns about AI’s impact on jobs and families, particularly among parents worried about their children’s futures. He argued that human capability is neither fixed nor finite, comparing modern humans to “geniuses” relative to Bronze Age people due to technological advancement. Using the washing machine as an analogy, he suggested that AI will enable people to accomplish more and pursue higher aspirations rather than simply replacing human work. Smith concluded by calling for better coordination between AI summits, emphasizing the need for clear goals, measurement systems, and accountability to ensure technology serves humanity’s broader interests.

Keypoints

Major Discussion Points:

– AI’s role in addressing the global economic divide: Smith argues that the technology divide, particularly unequal access to electricity and now AI, has created and perpetuated the economic gap between the global north and south. AI represents a critical opportunity to either close this divide or make it worse.

– Infrastructure investment requirements: The need for massive investment in data centers, compute power, connectivity, and electricity in the global south, with Microsoft committing $50 billion by year-end, particularly highlighting India as a major investment destination.

– Skills development and education: Emphasis on the critical importance of training people across all generations to use AI effectively, including Microsoft’s new “Elevate for Educators” program and the responsibility of employers to invest in employee skilling.

– Localization and practical application of AI: The necessity to make AI work effectively in languages other than English and to focus AI development on solving problems specific to the global south, such as agriculture improvements and food security in Africa.

– Future of work and human potential: Addressing concerns about AI’s impact on jobs and families, while arguing that technology historically enhances rather than replaces human capability, using the washing machine analogy to illustrate how technology can improve quality of life.

Overall Purpose:

The discussion aims to outline a comprehensive strategy for ensuring AI development benefits the global south rather than exacerbating existing inequalities. Smith seeks to establish a framework for inclusive AI advancement that addresses infrastructure, skills, localization, and human concerns while calling for coordinated global action and accountability.

Overall Tone:

The tone is optimistic yet realistic, maintaining a balance between acknowledging serious challenges and expressing confidence in potential solutions. Smith begins with sobering statistics about global inequality but transitions to an inspiring vision of human potential enhanced by technology. The tone remains consistently forward-looking and collaborative, emphasizing collective responsibility and the need for sustained, measurable progress across multiple AI summits.

Speakers

– Moderator: Role/Title: Conference moderator; Areas of expertise: Not mentioned

– Brad Smith: Role/Title: Vice Chair and President of Microsoft; Areas of expertise: Technology policy, privacy, cybersecurity, AI regulation, diplomatic relations in tech sector. Author of “Tools and Weapons”

Additional speakers:

None identified

Full session report

In his keynote address at the first AI summit in the Global South, Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith delivered a comprehensive analysis of artificial intelligence’s potential to either bridge or exacerbate global economic inequalities. Smith brought his extensive experience in technology policy to what he characterized as perhaps the most consequential question of our time.

The Technology-Economic Divide

Smith established his foundational premise: that the world’s “deepest and most enduring divide” between the Global North and South is fundamentally rooted in unequal access to technology. He noted that while the first electrical power plant began operating in lower Manhattan literally 144 years ago, 700 million people worldwide still lack access to electricity today. This statistic illustrates how general-purpose technologies—those that spread across economies and boost productivity—have historically created prosperity where deployed while leaving behind regions without access.

Smith positioned AI as potentially the most significant general-purpose technology of this century, arguing it will play a decisive role in either closing the economic divide or making it “even wider.” This framing elevated the discussion to a matter of global equity, establishing the stakes for AI development and deployment decisions.

Three Pillars for AI Equity

Smith outlined three essential pillars for ensuring AI benefits the Global South:

1. Infrastructure Investment

The first pillar centers on infrastructure development: data centers, compute power, enhanced connectivity, and expanded electricity access. Smith announced that Microsoft is on pace to spend $50 billion by the end of this year specifically to bring AI capabilities to the Global South, with India representing one of the largest investment destinations.

However, Smith emphasized this challenge extends beyond any single company’s capacity, requiring collaboration between private capital from technology companies, other private investment, and government funding. Crucially, he highlighted the need to generate demand for the use of AI in the Global South, recognizing that sustainable deployment requires economic viability rather than charitable initiatives alone.

2. Human Capital Development

Smith expanded the traditional definition of infrastructure beyond hardware to encompass human capability development. He argued that enabling any country to utilize a general-purpose technology at scale requires providing people with the skills to put that technology to productive use.

This led to the announcement of a new initiative within Microsoft Elevate called Microsoft Elevate for Educators, designed to equip teachers with knowledge and tools to help students learn AI applications. Smith emphasized that employers across all sectors have a crucial role, noting that this skilling imperative applies not just to the next generation but to every generation currently in the workforce.

Drawing from digital technology adoption, Smith noted it required employers to invest in their employees’ digital literacy. Similarly, AI adoption will depend on employers’ willingness to invest in comprehensive AI skilling for their workforce.

3. Making AI Work for the Global South

Smith’s third pillar addressed making AI effective for Global South contexts through two specific approaches. First, he acknowledged that current AI systems do not perform as effectively in languages other than English, as performance tests show. To address this, Smith announced new investments in upstream data collection for other languages, better tools and measurement systems for multilingual AI, and data provenance systems designed with linguistic diversity in mind.

Second, Smith emphasized directing AI development toward solving problems that specifically matter to the Global South. Examples include agricultural improvements as they’re doing in India and a new initiative launched during the summit week to address food security across Africa.

Addressing Future of Work Concerns

Smith directly confronted anxieties about AI’s impact on employment, acknowledging that while AI developers tend to be enthusiastic, many parents globally are asking fundamental questions about what AI means for their children’s futures.

Smith offered a reframing grounded in historical perspective, arguing that human capability is “neither fixed nor finite.” He noted that compared to people in the Bronze Age, contemporary humans are already enhanced by cumulative technological advancement, supporting his thesis that technology creates platforms enabling people to “stand taller and reach higher.”

His washing machine analogy illustrated this principle: before its invention, washing laundry required six to eight hours of labor, almost always by women. The machine compressed this to 30 minutes, but rather than simply reducing work, it led to higher cleanliness standards and freed time for other activities.

Extending this logic to AI, Smith argued the technology should be viewed as “the next great generator for human curiosity,” enabling people to find faster solutions and ask more questions. He emphasized that curiosity is “the fundamental fuel of human capability,” and as AI helps solve complex problems more efficiently, it creates opportunities for humans to pursue higher-level challenges.

Building Sustainable Global Cooperation

Smith offered a critique of international AI governance, observing that while AI summits represent proud moments for host nations, they often function as “islands that are disconnected” from previous and subsequent meetings. This fragmentation undermines the continuity necessary for addressing global challenges requiring sustained effort.

Smith proposed a more structured approach, calling for clear goal-setting, common measurement systems, and annual progress assessments. He suggested each summit should ask: “Did we make 12 months of progress in the year that just preceded our meeting?” This would transform AI summits from primarily symbolic events into substantive forums for tracking concrete progress.

The Call to Action

Throughout his address, Smith maintained a balance between realism about current challenges and optimism about potential solutions. He acknowledged the “tumultuous” and “fragmented” nature of the contemporary world while arguing for technology’s potential to create positive change when deployed thoughtfully.

His call to “aim higher, not just for technology, but for what technology can do for people” encapsulated the human-centered approach throughout his remarks. Smith concluded by recognizing the expectations of people “outside these walls”—those not directly involved in AI development but whose lives will be profoundly affected by decisions made by technology leaders and policymakers.

Smith’s address represents an attempt to reframe AI development from primarily a technical endeavor into a global equity challenge. His three-pillar strategy provides a framework for action while acknowledging the complexity and scale involved, emphasizing shared responsibility across private companies, governments, employers, and international organizations for ensuring AI serves as a platform for human enhancement rather than replacement.

Session transcript

Moderator

Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to now welcome Mr. Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President Microsoft. Mr. Brad Smith has been Microsoft’s conscience and its chief diplomat through some of the most consequential debates in technology policy, from privacy and cybersecurity to AI regulation. His book, Tools and Weapons, remains one of the most lucid accounts of the responsibilities tech companies carry in the modern world. So please welcome the Vice Chair and President of Microsoft, Mr. Brad Smith.

Brad Smith

Good afternoon. It’s always an important day when the world comes together under one roof, as we have today. It gives us an opportunity together to ask important questions, even hard questions, and think about how we want to answer them. As we think about this summit, the first AI summit in the global south, it’s only right that we start, I believe, by focusing on AI and what it means for the global south. In some ways, I think the best way to start thinking about AI is to look more broadly and think about the state of the world in which we live. We live in a tumultuous time and in a fragmented world, but I think in so many ways, the deepest and most enduring divide has been the economic divide between the global north and south.

And what I believe we need to recognize is that this economic divide is a result, more than anything else, of a technology divide. The technology divide created by unequal access to electricity. electricity became one of humanity’s most important general purpose technologies meaning it spread across economies it was applied in every industry it boosted productivity where electricity went economic development and prosperity followed but as we all know electricity did not spread everywhere at the same pace it was literally 144 years ago that the first electrical power plant started operating in lower manhattan and yet we come together today and we still live in a world where 700 million people lack access to electricity now comes ai ai perhaps perhaps more than any other technology this century will play a bigger role either in closing this economic divide or in exacerbating it and making it even wider?

That is perhaps the single most important question for us, I would suggest today, as we think about the role of AI in the global South. How can we do better? Because we need to do better. What will it take? I think it’s going to take a few things that will require that we all come together and work together. First, the obvious. We need to bring infrastructure to the global South. That means data centers and compute. It also means more connectivity. It means more electricity. That is going to take not only the world’s best technology, it’s going to require an enormous amount of investment. That’s why we at Microsoft announced yesterday morning that we’re on pace to spend $50 billion by the end of this year.

We’re going to be able to do that. We’re going to be able to do that. to bring AI to the global South. And of all the countries in which we are investing, India, not surprisingly, is one of the largest. But we’ll need to harness private capital, investments from tech companies, other sources of private capital, government funding. We’ll need governments and others to generate demand for the use of AI in the global south, because that is the only way to get the wheels of the market spinning and to do what we need to do together. That’s the first thing we need to do together. There’s a second thing we need to do. We’ve talked about it here already today, and it is so clear when you study the history of technology.

Infrastructure is not only hardware. It’s not only wires and grids. It’s skilling for people. Because the key to enabling a country and a population to use a general purpose technology at scale is to give people across the country access to the skills they need to put it to work. And that’s why it’s such good news that we see so many governments supported by the United Nations and supported by private companies investing in more skilling. It’s actually something that should speak to all of us. Certainly as a tech company, we’re committed. We’ve launched through Microsoft Elevate new initiatives, including one we’re announcing this week, Microsoft Elevate for Educators, to equip teachers with access to help their students learn how to use AI.

But in the truth, it doesn’t matter where you work. You have a role to play. Because the lesson of digital technology, I was an example of this, was that it took employers to open their doors. It took employers to computing. It takes employers today to open their doors to new AI tools. It will take employers to invest in the skilling of their employees. it’s not just for the next generation. It’s for every generation that this fully matters. Then there’s a third challenge for the Global South. We need to make AI work effectively for the Global South, and that requires some special initiatives, at least two. First, we need to make AI as effective in every language as it is in English, and today it is not.

Performance tests show that’s the case. That’s why one of the good things to come out of this week is new announcements to invest upstream in better data in other languages, to provide better tools and measurement systems for AI that is built in other languages, to build out data providence with a view to linguistic diversity, diversity that we need to advance around the world. And we need to use AI in the Global South. We need to use AI in the Global South. We need to use AI in the Global South. We need to use AI in the Global South to solve the problems that matter to the Global South. Oftentimes, as we’re doing here in India, that’s about improvements in agriculture.

Or as a number of partners, including Microsoft, are doing this week, launching a new initiative to address food security across Africa. These are just two of the myriad of opportunities we have to put AI to work in ways that will bring faster benefits to countries in most of the world. If we do those three things well, build infrastructure, invest in skilling, address real -world problems, then I think it may create the foundation to think more and do more about the question I am willing to bet will be a bigger part of the conversation in the next few AI summits. What will AI mean for the future of work and jobs? Within these walls, I think we’re going to have a lot of questions.

We’re mostly enthusiastic about the future of AI. But outside these walls, I think we need to recognize that increasingly around the world, and especially in some countries, many parents are asking a common question. What will AI mean for my kids? What will AI mean for my family? What will AI mean for our future? I get it that some people are excited and they’ll do well, but what about us? Us, meaning most of the people who live on this planet. I think we have something to prove. I think we have something to prove not only to communities and countries and our customers, but to ourselves, that we can not only embrace but pursue a brighter future for people.

It’s great to come to conferences like this and hear people talk about all of the advances in technology, but let’s remember one other thing as well. Human capability is neither fixed nor finite. It’s great to think about what it would mean to have computers in a data center that would be like a country of geniuses, but let’s also recognize this. Compared to the people who lived in the Bronze Age, all of you, all of us, are already geniuses. Whenever technology advances, it creates a new platform, a new foundation that enables people to stand taller and reach higher if, and only if, we’re committed to using that technology well. As AI makes it possible to cure more diseases, then it is right that we expect that it will improve human health.

As we use AI already every day to find faster solutions. And when we find faster answers, it gives us the opportunity to ask more questions. The fundamental fuel of human capability has always been the same. curiosity. We need to look at AI as the next great generator for human curiosity. And we need to take some inspiration because we all know the world could use a little more inspiration. I often think about the following. Before the invention of the washing machine, it took someone, almost always a woman, between six and eight hours to wash a load of laundry. But as the washing machine improved, that was compressed to 30 minutes. But do you know what happened?

One thing happened more than anything else. Everyone wanted to wear cleaner clothes. Everyone expected to wear cleaner clothes. People did their laundry a lot more often. They had better clothes and they had more time and they put that time to work to do more with their lives. ultimately that is the question for us and this too is not just a question for companies this is not what tech will do to people it is people will use technology to do for people and it’s not people who create products it’s every government it’s every company it’s every non -profit it’s every employer because we all have the opportunity to work with our people to manage through the change that is coming to show people how with the right ai skills they can create jobs and careers that will be brighter for their future that will not be easy but if that’s not our goal then we’re missing the big picture as we come away from this ai summit it reflects so much progress but i would say one thing as well each of the these ai summits is a proud moment for a great nation But we have an opportunity.

Rather than have summits that are islands that are disconnected from the summits before or that follow, we need to build bridges. We need to build bridges between these summits. We need to define clear goals. We need to have common measurement systems. And every year, we need to ask the same question. Did we make 12 months of progress in the year that just preceded our meeting? So how can we build on that progress to do more and move faster in the year ahead? For those of us who come to these meetings in different countries every year, I hope we will take that away. Let’s aim higher, not just for technology, but for what technology can do for people.

Let’s be clearer in defining what we want to accomplish. Let’s put in place the ability for us to measure our progress and all hold ourselves accountable as a global community. If we can do these things, then we can use these summits and we can use this next generation of technology to build a better world. I know that’s what we within these walls want us ourselves to do. But even more than that, I know that the people outside these walls are hoping and expecting us to do just that. Thank you very much.

Moderator

Speech speed

139 words per minute

Speech length

80 words

Speech time

34 seconds

Introduction of Brad Smith

Explanation

The moderator frames the summit by highlighting Brad Smith’s role at Microsoft as its conscience and chief diplomat, establishing his authority on technology policy and AI.

Evidence

“Mr. Brad Smith has been Microsoft’s conscience and its chief diplomat through some of the most consequential debates in technology policy, from privacy and cybersecurity to AI regulation.” [15]. “So please welcome the Vice Chair and President of Microsoft, Mr. Brad Smith.” [16].

Major discussion point

Opening and framing of the AI summit

Topics

Artificial intelligence | The enabling environment for digital development

Brad Smith

Speech speed

143 words per minute

Speech length

Continuity, measurement, and accountability across AI summits

Topics

Monitoring and measurement | Follow-up and review | Artificial intelligence

Agreements

Artificial intelligence | Follow-up and review | Monitoring and measurement

Similar viewpoints

Technology divides are the root cause of economic inequality, and AI deployment must be specifically tailored and invested in for global south contexts to prevent exacerbating existing divides

Speakers

– Brad Smith

Arguments

AI’s Role in Addressing Global Economic Inequality

Infrastructure Development for AI in the Global South

Making AI Effective for Global South Contexts

Topics

Artificial intelligence | Closing all digital divides | Social and economic development

Human capacity building and skills development are essential for AI adoption, with emphasis on enhancing rather than replacing human capabilities across all generations

Speakers

– Brad Smith

Arguments

Skills Development and Human Capacity Building

Future of Work and Human Potential with AI

Topics

Capacity development | Artificial intelligence | The digital economy

Unexpected consensus

Historical technology analogy for AI adoption

Speakers

– Brad Smith

Arguments

Future of Work and Human Potential with AI

Explanation

The use of the washing machine analogy to explain how AI will free up human time and capacity for higher-level activities represents an unexpectedly optimistic and practical framing of AI’s impact on work, moving beyond typical job displacement concerns

Topics

The digital economy | Artificial intelligence | Capacity development

Overall assessment

Summary

The transcript shows strong internal consistency in Brad Smith’s arguments around AI’s potential to address global inequality through infrastructure investment, skills development, localized solutions, and enhanced human capacity. There is clear agreement on the need for collaborative approaches involving private and public sectors, with emphasis on accountability and measurement.

Consensus level

High level of internal consensus within the single speaker’s presentation, with comprehensive framework covering infrastructure, capacity building, localization, and governance aspects. The implications suggest a coordinated approach to AI deployment that prioritizes global south needs and human-centric development.

Differences

Different viewpoints

Unexpected differences

Overall assessment

Summary

No disagreements identified – the transcript consists primarily of a single speaker (Brad Smith) presenting his views on AI and the Global South, with only a brief introductory statement by the Moderator

Disagreement level

No disagreement present. This appears to be a keynote presentation or speech rather than a debate or discussion with multiple viewpoints. Brad Smith presents a cohesive argument about AI’s potential impact on global economic inequality and the steps needed to ensure positive outcomes for the Global South, without any opposing voices or alternative perspectives being presented.

Partial agreements

Similar viewpoints

Technology divides are the root cause of economic inequality, and AI deployment must be specifically tailored and invested in for global south contexts to prevent exacerbating existing divides

Speakers

– Brad Smith

Arguments

AI’s Role in Addressing Global Economic Inequality

Infrastructure Development for AI in the Global South

Making AI Effective for Global South Contexts

Topics

Artificial intelligence | Closing all digital divides | Social and economic development

Human capacity building and skills development are essential for AI adoption, with emphasis on enhancing rather than replacing human capabilities across all generations

Speakers

– Brad Smith

Arguments

Skills Development and Human Capacity Building

Future of Work and Human Potential with AI

Topics

Capacity development | Artificial intelligence | The digital economy

Takeaways

Key takeaways

AI represents a critical inflection point that could either close or widen the economic divide between the global north and south, making this the most consequential question for AI development

Successfully deploying AI in the global south requires three foundational elements: infrastructure development (data centers, compute, connectivity, electricity), comprehensive skills training across all generations, and AI solutions tailored to local problems and languages

Massive investment is required, with Microsoft committing $50 billion to bring AI to the global south, particularly India, but success depends on coordinated efforts between private capital, government funding, and market demand generation

AI must be made equally effective in all languages, not just English, and should focus on solving region-specific challenges like agriculture improvements and food security

The future of work concerns are legitimate and widespread, but human capability is expandable – AI should serve as a platform for people to reach higher potential, similar to how the washing machine freed time for other activities

AI summits should build continuity with clear goals, measurement systems, and annual progress assessments rather than operating as disconnected events

Resolutions and action items

Microsoft announced $50 billion investment to bring AI infrastructure to the global south by end of year

Launch of Microsoft Elevate for Educators initiative to help teachers integrate AI into education

New initiatives announced for upstream investment in better data for non-English languages

Launch of new initiative to address food security across Africa using AI

Commitment to build measurement systems for AI performance in other languages

Proposal to establish clear goals and common measurement systems between AI summits to track annual progress

Unresolved issues

How to effectively coordinate between private capital, government funding, and market demand generation for AI infrastructure

Specific mechanisms for ensuring AI performs equally well across all languages

Concrete strategies for addressing widespread parental concerns about AI’s impact on children’s future employment

Detailed framework for measuring progress between AI summits

How to ensure all employers invest in AI skilling for their employees across generations

Specific methods for building bridges between disconnected AI summits in different countries

Suggested compromises

Shared responsibility model where tech companies, governments, and employers all contribute to AI skilling and infrastructure development rather than placing burden on any single entity

This critique of the current summit structure is insightful because it addresses a meta-problem – that high-profile conferences often generate enthusiasm but lack continuity and accountability. The call for measurement systems and progress tracking transforms these events from symbolic to substantive.

Impact

This comment serves as a call to action that extends beyond the immediate summit, challenging the format and effectiveness of international AI governance discussions. It shifts the conversation from what should be done to how progress should be measured and sustained, adding a layer of accountability to future international cooperation efforts.

Overall assessment

Explanation

This involves research into applying AI to region-specific challenges like agriculture improvements and food security in Africa

Disclaimer: This is not an official session record. DiploAI generates these resources from audiovisual recordings, and they are presented as-is, including potential errors. Due to logistical challenges, such as discrepancies in audio/video or transcripts, names may be misspelled. We strive for accuracy to the best of our ability.