
The Inside Story Podcast Why are so many countries falling behind on AI?
Sep 23, 2025
Atoosa Kasirzadeh, an assistant professor at Carnegie Mellon, and Ramesh Srinivasan, a UCLA professor, dive into the alarming AI digital divide affecting over 100 countries. They discuss how lack of access, affordability, and proficiency hinder equitable AI use. Ramesh warns that simply providing access isn’t enough, as corporate data extraction threatens local sovereignty. They also highlight the need for regional AI development, democratic governance, and open-source solutions to empower emerging nations and bridge the growing technological gap.
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AI Deepens Traditional Digital Inequality
- Rahul Dogra notes AI deepens the old digital divide by embedding tech into healthcare, education and telecoms.
- He warns 2.6 billion people still lack basic digital access, amplifying inequality.
Three-Part Framework For The AI Divide
- Atoosa Kasirzadeh breaks the AI divide into access, affordability, and meaningful use of AI.
- She stresses all three must be solved for populations to benefit from AI tools.
AI Driven By Extraction, Not Global Benefit
- Ramesh Srinivasan highlights extraction by a few countries and corporations drives current AI systems.
- He links data, labor and resource extraction to unequal global AI benefits.

