SEOUL, South Korea / RankWire.AI / – As global efforts to bridge the digital divide continue, the World Bank Group revealed its inaugural digital approach during an event in Seoul on October 20, aiming to extend internet access to over 2 billion people still offline worldwide. The initiative aims to promote affordable digital connectivity in developing nations, enhance public services, and foster employment opportunities. This strategy leverages both the public and private sectors within the group. The launch coincided with the Global AI and Digital Summit, co-hosted by South Korea’s finance and science ministries.
The new framework is guided by four main priorities. It will focus on improving connectivity through expanding cables, national links, and local networks that serve businesses and healthcare facilities. Efforts will also be made to reduce device and data costs by forming alliances with manufacturers, mobile operators, and lenders. A third focus area emphasizes upgrading digital services and skills, including digital identification and financial transactions. The final priority is preparing for artificial intelligence, which involves expanding computing resources, enhancing local data availability, and developing relevant skills.
Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group, emphasized that digital technology has the potential to generate jobs and optimize resource use in developing countries. He noted that success hinges on reliable connectivity, affordable devices, digital literacy, and accessible services working together. Banga stated that the digital strategy integrates these elements and also highlighted small AI, which he described as AI for the people. Examples include tools that assist farmers in diagnosing crop diseases or support healthcare workers.
Youth Population Growth Surpasses Job Creation
Developing nations are experiencing dual challenges: limited resources coupled with increasing demand for employment. Over the next 10 to 15 years, approximately 1.2 billion young people in these economies will reach working age. It is projected that their economies will create around 420 million jobs in this period. The bank indicated that digital tools could play a role in addressing this shortfall by enabling businesses to find customers, improve productivity, and secure financing more efficiently.
Digital innovation has the potential to support employment across five key sectors identified by the bank: infrastructure and energy, agribusiness, healthcare, tourism, and manufacturing with added value. Additionally, technology can help lower the costs associated with delivering public services. The new strategy builds upon the group’s earlier digitalization push and growing backing for developing economies. It combines financial support, policy guidance, private sector investment, and guarantees into a comprehensive framework, laying the groundwork for collaboration with governments, tech firms, and philanthropic organizations.
Persistent Internet Inequality and GPU Initiative Launch
Significant gaps in internet access continue to exist between wealthy and low-income countries. By 2025, only 23% of individuals in low-income nations are expected to be online, compared to 94% in high-income nations. Many individuals already reside within network coverage areas but are unable to afford smartphones or data plans. Others lack the necessary skills to access online services, or the available services do not meet their needs. Privacy, cybersecurity, and fraud protection measures are incorporated across the strategy’s four main areas.
Alongside this strategy, the World Bank announced the AI Infrastructure and Readiness Initiative. This program will enable governments in emerging markets to access affordable computing power via shared, pay-as-you-go GPU infrastructure. GPUs, specialized processors used in AI development and deployment, provide a practical alternative to establishing standalone national data centers. The initiative partners with NVIDIA and Cassava Technologies, with initial focus on Africa and Latin America.