BFA Global, Caribou and MSC – organisations whose work spans more than 150 countries – have launched the Alliance for Inclusive AI, an open coalition committed to ensuring that the next wave of artificial intelligence (AI) expands opportunity.
By 2030, the Alliance aims to deliver responsible, practical AI solutions to 100-million people and mobilise $100-million in blended finance.
AI is set to reshape economies and public systems, yet new divisions are emerging: between countries that can afford the necessary technology and those that cannot; between enterprises able to adopt AI tools and those left out; and between people who can access these tools and those who cannot.
Without leadership from emerging markets, AI will be built on assumptions that fail to reflect how most of the world actually lives and works.
Ajay Banga, World Bank Group president, cautions that “Big AI will create a bigger disparity between the developed world and the developing world at the start. On the other hand, ‘small AI’ – local models delivered on local devices – is going to be amazingly productive.”
The Alliance is an open, collaborative, practitioner-led effort to bring inclusive AI into the workflows of financial inclusion, agriculture, climate resilience, and digital public services across the Global South.
Prateek Shrivastava, MD of BFA Global, says: “Only by joining forces to mobilize resources, can we bring meaningful AI infrastructure and solutions to hundreds of millions of people globally.”
Jessica Osborn, CEO of Caribou, comments: “AI will reshape how people earn, learn, and access services. It will only deliver real impact when marginalised communities shape it. This Alliance ensures local actors build and use AI in ways that reflect their realities.”
Graham Wright, co-chair and GMD of MSC, warns: “Countries that lack digital infrastructure, skilled workforces, and supportive policy frameworks may find themselves further marginalised.”
Working at the intersection of global development and AI innovation, the Alliance’s work is organised around six pillars:
- Create foundational AI infrastructure tailored to emerging markets.
- Deliver practical, small-AI solutions that cater to the needs of the underserved.
- Partner with universities to develop local talent for responsible AI.
- Develop operational tools that work in low-resource, low-connectivity environments.
- Support governments, DFIs, regulators, and regional bodies to design and implement inclusive AI strategies.
- Create shared repositories of datasets, case studies, and toolkits.
Technology providers, DFIs, investors, governments, research institutions and civil society organisations are invited to join.