Breaking the AI Monopoly; A Roadmap for Developing Nations.

Breaking the AI Monopoly; A Roadmap for Developing Nations.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become the engine of the 21st-century economy. Yet, most of its infrastructure — massive computing power, large proprietary datasets, and top-tier talent — is concentrated in a few wealthy nations and corporate giants. This imbalance risks creating a new form of “digital colonialism,” where developing countries are relegated to mere consumers rather than creators of transformative technology.

The Challenge

Wealthy countries dominate AI because they control the key inputs:

• Computing resources: advanced chips and large-scale cloud infrastructure are produced and owned mainly in the U.S., Europe, and parts of East Asia.

• Research funding: elite universities and tech giants attract the lion’s share of global investment.

• Regulatory power: rich nations shape global AI standards and ethics frameworks, often without meaningful input from the Global South.

If this trend continues, developing countries could find themselves permanently dependent on foreign AI tools, losing the chance to build their own digital sovereignty.

What Developing Countries Can Do

1. Regional and Global Cooperation

Instead of competing individually, developing countries can pool resources to create joint AI research centers, open datasets, and shared infrastructure. A “Global South AI Consortium” would reduce duplication and amplify bargaining power.

2. Prioritize Open Source AI

By investing in open-source models such as LLaMA, Falcon, or Mistral, poorer nations can customize technology without paying expensive licensing fees. Governments can support local developers to build applications on these models.

3. Local Data, Local Needs

Building datasets in national languages and around local problems — agriculture, healthcare, disaster management — ensures that AI systems serve real domestic priorities rather than imported use-cases.

4. Human Capital and Education

Introducing AI literacy, data science, and programming in school and university curricula is crucial. Scholarships, coding boot camps, and partnerships with global institutions can accelerate skill development.

5. Digital Sovereignty Laws

Governments should enact policies to protect local data, ensure privacy, and incentivize domestic innovation. This keeps national data from becoming a free resource for foreign corporations.

6. Public-Private Partnerships

States, private sector, and academia can co-fund AI labs and incubators, enabling startups to scale and innovate domestically.

The Role of the United Nations

Currently, there is no binding UN law that compels technology transfer or AI resource sharing. However, there are entry points:

• UNCTAD and UNESCO already work on technology facilitation and AI ethics.

• A coalition of developing nations could table a proposal at the UN General Assembly for an “AI Technology Sharing Framework” or a dedicated UN agency for AI, similar to WHO for health.

• The 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (Goal 17) provide a legal and moral basis for partnerships and capacity-building in technology.

A Call to Action

The window for developing nations to act is narrow. AI will shape the next decades of economic growth, governance, and security. If poorer countries invest now in collaboration, open-source platforms, and skill development, they can become producers of innovation rather than passive consumers.

By taking collective action — and pressing for fairer international frameworks — the Global South can ensure that AI becomes a tool for inclusive development, not another driver of inequality.

Syed Ali Raza Naqvi Bukhari

Unity of Peace, Economic Reform, and Global Unity

Founder & Chairman of Tehreek Istehkam Pakistan, and the author of “Law of God” and “Social Democratic System.” Advocates for truth, social justice, and reform in all sectors of society.