Leading technology companies are gaining control over the technology’s future, and their commercial motives do not always align with the public interest. Governments need to explore policies and regulations that can incentivize and guide technological development along a path that promotes inclusivity and benefits everyone.
Frontier technologies are capital intensive and could be labour-saving. In many developing countries, this could erode the comparative advantage of low labour costs, putting at risk the gains of recent decades. When properly directed, AI could help reverse this trend by augmenting rather than substituting for human capabilities. The rapid progress of AI involves three key leverage points that could trigger transformational cascades: infrastructure, data and skills. These provide a framework to assess a country’s preparedness for AI, develop effective industrial and innovation policies and strengthen global AI governance and collaboration.