Bridging Gaps in Global AI Adoption: International Cooperation and Korea’s Policy

Jeong Gon Kim
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Jeong Gon Kim: KOREA INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC POLICY (KIEP)

No 26-12, World Economy Brief from Korea Institute for International Economic Policy

Abstract: I. Gaps in Global AI Adoption

As artificial intelligence (AI) is shaping the global economy and society as a general-purpose technology (GPT), there is increasing concern that disparities in countries’ capacity to adopt AI may further widen. While AI holds significant potential to enhance productivity, foster economic growth, and expand trade, its benefits may become concentrated in a limited number of leading countries and firms due to the unequal distribution of technology, capital, talent, and data. In particular, many developing countries face structural constraints in adopting AI, primarily due to insufficient digital infrastructure, limited human capital, and underdeveloped institutional frameworks. Over the medium to long term, these constraints risk exacerbating global growth gaps and socioeconomic inequality.

We employ the IMF’s AI Preparedness Index (AIPI) to assess national AI adoption capacity by income group. As shown in Figure 1, there are substantial cross-national gaps in AI preparedness. High-income countries generally have foundations in regulation and ethics, digital infrastructure, human capital, and innovation. Upper-middle-income countries are heterogeneous as a group, but many are likely to have a strong willingness to accelerate innovation based upon a substantial level of human capital. For lower-middle- and low-income countries, improving digital infrastructure is an urgent priority while also treating development of human resources as a key policy consideration (see Figure 2).

These cross-country gaps are closely linked to differences in the level of progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals. SDG indicators show a strong correlation with AIPI, suggesting that the achievement of the SDGs has a significant influence as a foundational condition for AI readiness (see Table 1).

Keywords: AI divide between countries; AI for development (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 7
Date: 2026-05-07
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