In the hands of innovators from the Global South, AI can transform lives

This article is published in association with United Nations.

Artificial intelligence is no longer the sole preserve of rich western nations. The applications for the Global South, in areas ranging from health to agriculture and industry, are having a transformative effect on people’s lives.

Fodder cutters are fearsome machines with huge circular blades spinning at high speed, powered by small generators. Operated by rural workers in several developing countries, including India, Pakistan and Kenya, they pose a constant risk – many have had hands or arms amputated following accidents.

The consequences are devastating. Tasks that shape daily life – harvesting crops, kneading dough, stitching embroidery – suddenly become impossible. Thousands of women are left with reduced independence, lost livelihoods, and, too often, social exclusion.

Until recently, advanced prosthetics were far beyond their reach. Now, homegrown AI tools are opening the door to the same kinds of sophisticated devices available in wealthier countries.

Karachi-based Bioniks Technologies partnered with UN Women to design and deliver prosthetic limbs tailored specifically for affected female workers in Pakistan’s Sindh province. The initiative harnessed frontier technologies – 3D modelling, digital scanning, and artificial intelligence – to create lightweight, durable, and intuitive bionic arms capable of transforming daily life.

UN Women

A rural Pakistani woman injured by a fodder cutter.

“Through this collaboration, we provided advanced prosthetic arms, hands-on training, psychological support and awareness sessions to help communities understand safety practices and prevent such injuries in the future,” says Ayesha Zulfiqar, co-founder of Bioniks.

“Watching these incredible women regain their mobility, dignity, independence and return to hand embroidery, their main source of income, has been profoundly inspiring. This is more than technology, it’s restoring hope, confidence and opportunity.”

The India AI Impact Summit: A first for the Global South

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This initiative is a powerful example of what can be achieved when AI is available to innovators based in the Global South. 

Democratising AI is a major priority for the United Nations, which is working to ensure that this rapidly evolving technology is developed ethically and benefits people everywhere.

At the India AI Impact Summit, taking place from 16 to 20 February in New Delhi, several UN agencies will showcase the initiatives they are supporting in the country and across developing nations.

The Summit is the first major event of its kind in the Global South. Building on the momentum of the 2023 AI Safety Summit convened by the UK, and the 2025 AI Action Summit in France, it will also feature UN Secretary‑General António Guterres and Amandeep Gill, his Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies.

Speaking to author and podcaster Anirudh Suri in the run-up to the conference, Mr. Gill said that the UN is focused on bridging the growing ‘AI divide’ (between wealthy and developing economies, as well as the rich and poor within countries) and making AI more accessible to people everywhere.

“The concentration of economic and technological power is our biggest concern at the United Nations,” said Mr. Gill. “We’ve seen this story before, during previous industrial revolutions, when those who missed steam power found themselves 50 years behind in terms of development. We cannot afford to let that happen again.”

Despite the fears he expressed, Mr. Gill pointed to regions that have put plans in place to capitalise on AI and avoid being left behind. “I see this in Southeast Asia, in many parts of Africa and in India, where the government is taking the lead, subsidising access to AI for researchers, developers and smaller companies.”

Although the AI Impact Summit is not a UN event, Mr. Gill has been involved in shaping the agenda and considers it to be an important moment on the path to international governance. “It’s exciting to see the focus on bridging the AI divide, building capacity and involving citizens in a democratic approach to the technology.”

What to expect at the Summit

• AI Impact Summit Week will run from 16 to 20 February at Bharat Mandapam Convention Centre in New Delhi
• It will bring together global leaders, policymakers, technology companies, innovators and experts to deliberate on the transformative potential of artificial intelligence across governance, innovation and sustainable development
• UN Secretary-General António Guterres will speak at the Summit on Thursday 19 February
• Several United Nations entities are holding side-events, showcasing the ways that they are using AI for social good.
• They include the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), UN Women, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN reproductive health agency (UNFPA), the UN science agency (UNESCO) and the UN Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies (ODET).

The UN and AI 

Here is a selection of the work on AI that is taking place across the UN system. These initiatives are aimed at reducing global inequalities by addressing the uneven distribution of AI benefits and supporting digital capacity in developing countries. 

• Global Digital Compact, a global framework for digital cooperation and AI governance, adopted by world leaders at the 2024 Summit of the Future
• Principles for the Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence in the UN System, a guide to the ethical adoption of across UN agencies
• The High‑Level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence, Independent International Scientific Panel on AIand theGlobal Dialogue on AI Governance, created to improve evidence‑based policymaking, global coordination, and participation across Member States
• AI for Good, the UN system’s largest, action‑oriented platform for scaling practical AI solutions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals
• UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI (2021), The world’s first global AI ethics framework, adopted by all 193 Member States, covering human rights, transparency, fairness, environmental impact, and governance obligations across the AI lifecycle.
• Generation AI (UNICEF), a global effort to build evidence, shape policy, and co‑develop AI solutions that uphold child rights