“2.6 billion people don't have access to the internet … if you're not part of the digital revolution, you're not going to be part of the AI revolution – we’ve got to close that gap.”

Doreen Bogdan-Martin’s fascinating career handed her a front row seat for the digital revolution. Now Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), she’s among those leading global efforts to set guardrails on the use of Artificial Intelligence.

“I think we've never seen anything like this before … the plane is in flight and we're building it while we're flying - it's tremendous.”

AI presents huge opportunities for humanity, but also poses great risks. In this episode, Doreen Bogdan-Martin reflects on working to ensure the humane and sustainable use of AI, on connecting the billions around the world who are not yet online, and on juggling a career with four children.

Photo: ©ITU/D.Woldu

In the Maldives, UNOPS partnered with the Islamic Development Bank to deliver state-of-the-art medical drones.

The world has a gender equality problem, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) mirrors the gender bias in our society. Although globally more women are accessing the internet every year, in low-income countries, only 20 per cent are connected. The gender digital divide creates a data gap that is reflected in the gender bias in AI. Who creates AI and what biases are built into AI data (or not), can perpetuate, widen, or reduce gender equality gaps. Removing gender bias in AI starts with prioritizing gender equality as a goal, as AI systems are conceptualized and built. The AI field needs more women, and that requires enabling and increasing girls’ and women’s access to and leadership in STEM and ICT education and careers. Here, young women participants work together on a laptop at during an African Girls Can Code Initiative's coding bootcamp held at the GIZ Digital Transformation Center in Kigali, Rwanda in April 2024.

In Zanzibar, UNOPS is helping upgrade science labs in secondary schools with funding from KOICA. Watch to learn how this is helping students like Illham to reach their goals.

Hasina's inspirational journey showcases the resilience and potential of Afghan women in ICT, highlighting the transformative power of education and technology.

Natacha Sangwa's inspiring journey breaks stereotypes and empowers girls in technology, highlighting the importance of mentorship in shaping an inclusive tech industry.

AI-driven health promoter, S.A.R.A.H., heralds a groundbreaking approach to disseminating health information on a global scale.

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is calling for more awareness raising and regulatory frameworks to ensure AI benefits everyone. While AI holds promise for personalizing products and services and optimizing customer support, there are concerns over fair, responsible and ethical use of AI. Currently, global tech giants control most of the data flows and revenues from digital services, posing a threat to fair competition and aggravating existing technology divides. Public policies need to guide innovation and the design of AI to mitigate human biases and ensure that AI-powered goods and services reach vulnerable populations.

The United Nations Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology, Amandeep Singh Gill, explores the costs, consequences and creative potential of AI in the context of global efforts to usher in a better future for humanity

World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development (4 March), proclaimed by UNESCO, aims to raise awareness of the role of engineering, which is essential to mitigate the impact of climate change and advance sustainable development. UNESCO is giving high priority to activities that promote awareness of engineering as a career, as well as those that demonstrate the importance of youth studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). This year's observance focuses on the latest developments in sustainable energy solutions and how engineering can be used to develop these solutions.

This year's World Wildlife Day (3 March), under the theme “Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation”, focuses on how digital technologies can drive wildlife conservation, sustainable and legal wildlife trade, and human-wildlife coexistence. While technological advancements have significantly improved various aspects of wildlife conservation, including research, communication, tracking, and DNA analysis, challenges such as uneven internet access, environmental pollution, and unsustainable technology use impede achieving universal digital inclusion by 2030.

Climate change pushes 158 million women and girls into poverty, making them more vulnerable to gender-based violence and less likely to access necessary resources. Women are underrepresented in decision-making positions at all levels, including in the field of climate change. A paradigm change is needed to ensure that women are in the driving seat of climate action. On the occasion of the International Day of Women in Multilateralism (25 January), UNESCO organized a global dialogue that became a platform for leaders, scientists, and activists to highlight the vital link between climate change and gender inequality.

Tackling some of the greatest challenges of the Agenda for Sustainable Development - from improving health to combating climate change - will rely on harnessing all talent. That means getting more women working in these fields. The International Day of Women and Girls in Science (11 February) is a reminder that women and girls play a critical role in science and technology communities and that their participation should be strengthened. Join the conversation during the 9th International Day of Women and Girls in Science Assembly (8-9 February) and advocate for women and girls in science leadership.

Well-informed policy decisions are needed in shaping AI's impact on productivity growth, the labor market, and industrial concentration.

Conor Lennon from UN News asks Carme Artigas, Spain’s first-ever Secretary of State for Digitalization and AI, and co-chair of the UN’s AI Advisory Body, if 2023 was the year the world finally woke up to the need to regulate the technology.