Growing inequality in access to artificial intelligence between advanced economies and developing countries has prompted calls for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation bloc to build a governance system that is open, fairer, and culturally sensitive. Speakers at a conference in southern China last weekend warned that without coordinated action, the benefits of AI innovation would remain concentrated among a few wealthy nations and corporations.
The event, held under the Apec umbrella, heard that many Global South countries lack the critical infrastructure and skilled talent needed to use AI effectively. While the technology is often described as a great leveller in an era of sluggish economic growth, speakers argued that current trends point in the opposite direction.
An economic gap that is widening
Chung Chul, president of the Korea Economic Research Institute, said the gap between economies is "widening, not shrinking." He argued that an inclusive framework for AI governance must be built into the design of innovation efforts, not treated as an afterthought.
"It cannot be treated as a residual outcome. Instead, it should be something considered beforehand, not just after innovation," Chung said. "So the central policy question is not whether Apec should use AI but whether the region can scale innovation without widening the gap."
Data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development shows the global AI landscape and its rule-making processes are heavily concentrated in the hands of a small group of nations and roughly 100 corporations.
Using Apec's flexible structure
Proposed solutions include joint training programmes and regional cooperation on infrastructure. Speakers said Apec's flexible, non-binding structure could be an advantage, allowing member economies to develop governance approaches that respect local cultural contexts while maintaining shared principles.
The conference's focus on equitable AI governance reflects a broader debate about who gets to shape the rules for a technology that is increasingly central to economic competitiveness. For IT and development professionals, the discussion signals that AI strategy will need to account for regulatory divergence across the Asia-Pacific region.
Why this matters for IT and development professionals
For those building and deploying AI systems, the practical takeaway is that compliance and talent strategy will vary significantly across Apec economies. Organizations operating regionally should expect fragmented rules rather than a single standard, and may need to plan for capacity-building investments in markets where infrastructure is less mature. The conference's emphasis on inclusive design also suggests that procurement and partnership decisions will increasingly be evaluated against equity criteria, not just technical performance.
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