.png)
January 21, 2025
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has published a report demonstrating how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can contribute to inclusive global economic growth and societal progress. The report also highlights the challenges in ensuring that the benefits of AI are distributed equitably across all nations and populations.
Developed in collaboration with KPMG, the report outlines nine strategic objectives designed to guide government leaders, organizations, and key stakeholders at every stage of the AI lifecycle—from innovation to application—at local, national, and international levels. These strategies aim to bridge disparities in access to AI, infrastructure, advanced computing power, and skills development to foster sustainable, long-term growth.
A central tenet of the "Blueprint for Intelligent Economies" is the belief that successful AI adoption must reflect the specific needs of local communities—with strong leadership and collaboration between governments, businesses, entrepreneurs, civil society organizations, and end-users.
By tailoring approaches to geographic and cultural specificities, the WEF report argues, nations can create AI systems that address local challenges while providing a solid foundation for innovation, investment, and ethical governance. The report illustrates practical, scalable solutions with case studies from countries at varying levels of AI maturity.
For example, cross-border collaboration on shared AI frameworks and pooled resources (such as energy or centralized databases) is highlighted as a way to overcome resource constraints. Public-private subsidies to make AI-enabled devices more affordable represent another path towards greater equity. These mechanisms are intended to lower the barriers for local businesses and innovators, enabling them to adopt AI tools and scale their operations.
While the report encompasses nine strategic objectives, three have been identified as priority focus areas for national AI strategies:
Building Sustainable AI Infrastructure: A resilient, scalable, and environmentally sustainable AI infrastructure is essential for innovation. Realizing this vision, however, requires significant investment, energy, and cross-sector collaboration. Nations must coordinate their efforts to ensure that intelligent economies grow in a way that is both equitable and environmentally sound.
Curating Diverse and High-Quality Datasets: AI’s potential hinges on the quality of the data it can access. This strategic objective addresses obstacles such as data accessibility, imbalance, and ownership. By ensuring that datasets are inclusive, diverse, and reflective of local languages and cultures, developers can create equitable AI models that avoid bias and serve the needs of all communities.
Establishing Robust Ethical and Safety Guardrails: Governance frameworks are crucial to mitigate risks such as misuse, bias, and ethical breaches. By setting high standards from the outset, nations can build trust in AI systems and lay the foundation for responsible deployment and innovation. These safeguards are particularly important for fostering human-centered AI that benefits society as a whole.
The overall framework outlined in the report consists of three tiers:
- Foundational Tier: Focuses on sustainable energy, diverse data curation, responsible AI infrastructure, and efficient investment mechanisms. - Growth Tier: Integrates AI into workflows, processes, and devices to accelerate sectoral adoption and foster innovation. - Human Tier: Prioritizes the skills, empowerment, and ethical considerations of the workforce, ensuring that AI shapes society in a positive and inclusive way.The Forum also advocates for a multi-stakeholder approach to global AI adoption, bridging public and private collaborations. Policymakers are encouraged to implement supportive legislation and incentives to stimulate innovation and expand AI’s reach. Examples include lifelong learning programs to prepare workers for the AI-powered future and fiscal policies that enable greater access to technologies in underserved regions.
The WEF’s latest initiative reflects the growing global recognition that AI will be a cornerstone of the future economy. However, it remains clear that the benefits of this transformative technology must be distributed equitably to drive societal progress and ensure that no one is left behind.
The "Blueprint for Intelligent Economies" provides nations with a roadmap to harness AI while dismantling the structural barriers that could otherwise exacerbate existing inequalities. By promoting inclusivity, enacting robust governance, and involving communities in decision-making, the WEF aims to guide governments, businesses, and innovators towards a sustainable and intelligent future.
Bibliography: https://www.weforum.org/press/2025/01/towards-equitable-ai-new-report-charts-path-to-ai-competitiveness/ https://www.weforum.org/publications/a-blueprint-for-equity-and-inclusion-in-artificial-intelligence/ https://www.artificialintelligence-news.com/news/world-economic-forum-unveils-blueprint-equitable-ai/ https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_A_Blueprint_for_Intelligent_Economies_2025.pdf https://sdgcounting.medium.com/ai-at-the-world-economic-forum-fcd64aca590c https://www.smartcitiesworld.net/ai-and-machine-learning/wef-report-offers-practical-steps-for-inclusive-ai-adoption https://www.cyberera.com.ng/2022/07/09/world-economic-forum-releases-blueprint-for-equitable-and-inclusive-ai/ https://economymiddleeast.com/news/new-wef-report-outlines-path-to-inclusive-economic-growth/ https://babl.ai/global-ai-governance-blueprint-released-by-world-economic-forum/ https://www.smartcitiesworld.net/ai-and-machine-learning/wef-releases-blueprint-for-equitable-and-inclusive-ai