Harnessing rapid technological change can promote inclusive and sustainable development, UNCTAD report

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) published a study on Harnessing rapid technological change for inclusive and sustainable development which explores ways to promote frontier technologies work for all. The study argues that technological change, with a special focus on a set of digital frontier technologies, including artificial intelligence, big data, and robotics, could further aggravate inequalities. Hence, science, technology, and innovation (STI) policies should address these concerns in the future. To this aim, the study looks at ways to advance rapid technological change to promote inclusiveness in terms of income, gender, age group, people with special needs among other groups facing specific challenges. It also identifies possible approaches to promote the development of appropriate business models that foster inclusive innovation using frontier technologies to be scaled for inclusive and sustainable development.