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AI to Reshape Global North-South Economic Divide, Says Microsoft's Brad Smith

Microsoft Vice Chair Brad Smith stated that artificial intelligence will be decisive in shaping the economic balance between the Global North and South, potentially closing or widening the existing divide. He identified unequal access to technology and electricity as core drivers of the current economic gap, emphasizing that infrastructure like data centers and connectivity is essential for inclusive AI deployment in the Global South. The remarks were made at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi also presented an optimistic vision for AI's role in India's future. Modi asserted that India sees its future in AI, contrasting with global apprehensions about the technology's rise.

Key Points: AI's Role in Global Economic Balance: Microsoft VP's Warning

  • AI pivotal for global economic balance
  • Tech divide fuels economic North-South gap
  • Electricity access is a foundational barrier
  • Infrastructure key for AI inclusion in Global South
  • India embraces AI as a growth cornerstone
2 min read

AI will play key role in shaping economic balance between Global North and South: Microsoft's Brad Smith

Microsoft's Brad Smith says AI will decisively shape the economic divide between Global North and South, highlighting infrastructure needs for inclusion.

"AI perhaps more than any other technology this century will play a bigger role either in closing this economic divide or in exacerbating it - Brad Smith"

New Delhi, February 19

Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith on Thursday said artificial intelligence will play a decisive role in shaping the global economic balance, particularly between the Global North and South.

Speaking at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, Smith said, "I think the best way to think about AI is to look at it more broadly and think about the state of the world we live. We live in a tumultuous and a fragmented world but I think in so many ways the deepest emotion during divide has been the economic divide between global north and south."

"This economic divide is a result more than anything else the technological divide," he added.

The technology divide, he said, among others, is created by unequal access to electricity.

He stressed about the lack of electricity among millions of citizens across the globe.

"Now come AI, AI perhaps more than any other technology this century will play a bigger role either in closing this economic divide or in exacerbating it or even wider," he said

Raising the question of inclusion, the Microsoft Vice Chair said, "As we think about the role of AI in the global south, how can we better become as we need to do better."

Smith emphasized that infrastructure, data centers, compute, connectivity, electricity all will be required to bring AI to the Global South.

Earlier this morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a powerful message of technological optimism at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, asserting that while some view the rise of artificial intelligence with apprehension, India embraces it as a cornerstone of its future growth.

Addressing the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam venue in New Delhi, the Prime Minister stated, "While some see fear in AI, others see the future. I can say with utmost pride that India finds its future in Artificial Intelligence," emphasising the nation's proactive and optimistic stance toward the technology.PM Modi highlighted the unprecedented velocity of the current technological era.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Smith is right to highlight electricity access. It's the foundation. Microsoft and other giants have a responsibility to partner with governments in the Global South on sustainable, localised solutions, not just sell products. Hope this summit leads to concrete action plans.
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Priya S
Feeling proud to hear India's stance at a global forum! 🇮🇳 Jai Hind! PM Modi's vision is clear - we are not afraid of the future, we will build it. Our tech talent combined with this positive policy can make India an AI leader for the Global South.
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Rohit P
All talk. We hear this at every summit. When will we see affordable, reliable electricity in every taluka? When will data centers be built beyond Hyderabad and Bangalore? Action speaks louder than words. Let's fix the basics first.
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Karthik V
The key is "inclusion". AI developed in the West on Western data won't solve our problems. We need AI for Indian agriculture, for our languages, for our healthcare challenges. Glad the conversation is happening in Delhi.
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Michael C
Interesting perspective from Smith. The optimism from India's leadership is notable. The success of India's digital public infrastructure (like UPI) shows it can leapfrog. If that model can be applied to AI access, it could be a game-changer for the economic balance.

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