Artificial intelligence (AI) is shaping the global economic future. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) projects that the market for this technology will reach a value of $4,8 trillion by 2033. However, it warns of deep inequalities in its development and access.
“Less than a third of developing countries have national AI strategies,” the UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan“AI is shaping the global economic future; yet 118 countries, primarily in the Global South, are absent from key debates on AI governance.”
Investment and development concentrated in a few hands
The report Technology and Innovation Report 2025: Inclusive Artificial Intelligence for Development points out that only 100 companies—mainly from United States and China— represent 40% of global corporate spending on research and development (R&D). Apple, Nvidia, and Microsoft, for example, each have a market value of nearly $3 trillion, comparable to the gross domestic product of the entire African continent.
“AI development is concentrated not only geographically, but also in terms of technical capabilities and access to critical infrastructure,” UNCTAD emphasizes.
While AI has the potential to create new industries, empower workers, and improve efficiency, UNCTAD warns that it is “not inherently inclusive.” In this regard, it urges developing countries to act urgently: “Investing in digital infrastructure, building capacity, and strengthening AI governance are key to achieving sustainable development.”
To achieve this, the organization highlights and explains three fundamental pillars: infrastructure, data and skillsAccording to the report, strategic positioning in these areas will determine whether nations can effectively adopt AI, foster local innovation, and align its development with their socioeconomic needs.
Encouraging signs from Latin America and Africa
In this context, although the United States leads in the number of developers on GitHub—a key platform for collaboration on software projects—it is followed by India and China, which, thanks to their large populations, concentrate a significant mass of artificial intelligence developers. In particular, the report highlights encouraging signs in the Global South. Latin America and the Caribbean, countries like Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia and Brazil show sustained growth in the number of developers, reflecting the strengthening of their digital ecosystems and a growing insertion into the knowledge economy. Meanwhile, AfricaNigeria, Ghana and Kenya lead the way with increases of 40%, consolidating their position as emerging technological hubs. AsiaIndia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines all saw increases of over 30% in active developers, confirming a global expansion of tech talent.
.A global legal framework for inclusive AI
The report also highlights that fragmented initiatives can be detrimental to effective governance. “By coordinating efforts across different domains, international law provides a common normative basis that can support coherent global governance of AI and prevent the proliferation of fragmented initiatives and institutions,” UNCTAD states.
Furthermore, the organization urges a shift in focus from technology to people. "We must co-create a global framework that puts people at the center of AI development," Grynspan emphasized, also calling for strengthening international cooperation.
- Technology and Innovation Report 2025 https://unctad.org/system/files/official-document/tir2025_en.pdf
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