Building Equitable Foundations for Inclusive AI Futures

As the initial AI experimentation buzz gives way to large-scale adoption and more mature deployments, it is leading to unparalleled infrastructural demands. With unprecedented investment flowing into compute infrastructure over the last three years, the pace of investment is only accelerating, expected to exceed five trillion by 2030. The infrastructural decisions being made today will have lasting and far-reaching implications that will determine who is included in the development and scaling of AI solutions, and who benefits from them. Unequal access to compute and data, the global concentration of power and investment, and the environmental and social impacts of AI infrastructure development all risk undermining the outcomes of AI. Alongside compute and data, uneven distribution of digital and AI skills is driving a widening AI usage gap, which limits the ability of individuals, organisations, and entire global regions to benefit from AI. 

This seminar explores what Inclusive AI means in practice, starting with the fundamental building blocks of compute, data, and AI skills. By bringing together a diverse range of experts from across the AI ecosystem, including innovators, mobile network operators, the public sector, and funders, this session will discuss how inclusivity can be embedded into the foundations of AI, and drive partnerships for impactful, sustainable and equitable AI futures.