ECOSOC

Reforming Global Development Finance for Sustainable Innovation of Artificial Intelligence

Committee Profile

Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly important to economic development, but its high costs for computing infrastructure, data centers, and specialized hardware make access difficult for many developing countries. Existing development finance institutions provide loans, grants, and technical assistance, but much of the current system was built around traditional priorities and may not be equipped to finance the infrastructure and resources needed for AI development. This creates a digital divide in which differences in access to capital can lead to differences in computing capacity, domestic AI development, economic competitiveness, and influence over future AI governance. Delegates must consider how development finance can be reformed to expand sustainable access to AI while addressing infrastructure costs, data governance, national sovereignty, and the unequal distribution of technological resources.