AI-related resources—such as chips, data, and infrastructure—could deepen global inequality, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned in an April paper.
It pointed to recent policy moves, like the US restricting AI chip exports and the EU urging reviews of outbound investments in AI and semiconductors, as signs of how vital digital infrastructure has become.
According to the IMF, a country's AI readiness depends on three factors: access to tech, data, and infrastructure; how exposed its economy is to AI; and how prepared it is for that exposure.
AI exposure, the paper notes, relates to how much AI impacts a country’s jobs and industries. Jobs are the main way AI's effects are felt.
Due to different job structures, 60% of roles in advanced economies are highly exposed to AI, compared to 42% in emerging markets and just 26% in low-income nations.
According to the IMF, this exposure can have both upsides and downsides. In wealthier countries, it could boost productivity—but also displace workers.
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