AI Literacy Gap Report Released: AI Capability Divide Between Developed and Developing Nations Accelerating

The World Economic Forum today released its annual Global AI Literacy Gap Report, revealing a concerning trend: the AI capability gap between developed and developing nations is accelerating rather than narrowing.

Key findings include: 75% of global AI compute is concentrated in 5 countries (US, China, Japan, South Korea, Germany); 90% of global AI researchers work for institutions in these 5 countries; developing nations' AI application penetration is just one-eighth of developed nations.

The report specifically notes that the "digital divide" of the AI era is evolving into an "intelligence divide" — not merely a gap in internet access, but in the ability to participate in economic activity and access public services in the AI age. While developed-nation doctors use AI-assisted diagnosis, farmers use AI-optimized cultivation, and students use AI-personalized learning, their counterparts in developing nations still use traditional methods.

The report recommends urgent international action, including establishing a global AI compute sharing fund, funding AI talent development in developing nations, and ensuring accessibility of open-source AI models.