As artificial intelligence continues to reshape the world, there are concerns that its governance remains siloed among wealthy nations. Speaking to Devex at the India AI Impact Summit last month, Claire Melamed, vice president for AI and digital cooperation at the United Nations Foundation, emphasized a critical gap: Over 100 countries are currently excluded from forums where AI is discussed, such as the Group of Seven and Group of 20 summits.
To ensure the technology benefits humanity equally, Melamed argues that the United Nations must lead the conversation, as the only platform where all governments can participate.
Central to this global dialogue is data, which powers AI. She highlighted the growing anxiety around data harvesting, warning it could become a tool for surveillance and widening inequality without transparent, cross-border frameworks.
While AI offers immense potential to accelerate medical diagnostics and climate modeling, Melamed stressed that the technology simultaneously risks draining global energy resources, disrupting job markets, and leaving populations that are offline entirely behind.
About the author
Thomas Cserep
Thomas Cserép is an Associate Editor who manages and oversees Devex's social media presence, coordinates Devex’s audience outreach, and produces the This Week in Global Development podcast. Prior to Devex, he worked as a freelance journalist, with his writings appearing in a variety of publications, including Get Spanish Football News and the magazine of the Hungarian Geographic Society.
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