Guyana’s President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has proposed a bold, equity-focused vision for artificial intelligence (AI), calling for its global use as a tool to accelerate economic development, reduce inequality, and tackle major global challenges.
The president made his remarks during a keynote address on Thursday at the Berkeley Innovation Forum, held at the Ames Research Centre in California.
Speaking under the theme “Making AI Sovereign: Bridging Geopolitical Divides for Open Solutions,” President Ali emphasized that the upcoming Fifth Industrial Revolution (5IR)—centered on collaboration between humans and AI—may arrive sooner than anticipated. He urged the global community to embrace inclusive innovation.
“AI must be developed and deployed as a force for the common good,” the president asserted. “The guiding principle should prioritize equity and inclusion over profit and power.”
Ali noted that past industrial revolutions largely benefitted a handful of developed nations, leaving developing countries further behind. With AI, he argued, there’s a unique opportunity to reverse that trend—if the technology is made broadly accessible and ethically deployed.
Leveraging AI for Global Good
President Ali identified key sectors where AI can be transformative: healthcare, education, climate resilience, and economic productivity. In particular, he highlighted AI’s power to harness data for tackling global issues like climate change, pandemics, and poverty.
“AI’s capacity to analyze vast amounts of data can provide high-level insights,” he said. “Global problems demand global cooperation and data-driven solutions.”
Boosting Food and Energy Security
On food security, Ali pointed to AI’s potential to optimize agriculture through predictive analytics, reduce food waste, and improve supply chains. Smart farming technologies, he said, can also lower water and fertiliser use and cut emissions, contributing to a more sustainable global food system.
He also drew a strong link between energy security and innovation, warning that technological progress is at risk if access to energy remains unequal. “Without energy security, technological progress stalls—and without innovation, sustainable energy solutions remain out of reach,” Ali said.
A Call for an AI Investment Fund
To close the global technology gap, President Ali proposed the creation of an AI Investment Fund aimed at supporting developing nations in harnessing the power of artificial intelligence.
“Investing in AI for a developing country is not just a matter of equity. It is a strategic imperative to create a more balanced and technologically empowered global economy,” he said.
President Ali’s address was a rallying cry for international collaboration, stressing that AI must not be monopolized by a few nations or corporations, but should instead serve as a catalyst for global progress.
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