The Global Diffusion of AI and Its Link to Social, Economic, and Political Inequality

AI development and innovation is happening at rapid speeds globally. The application of AI is no longer contained to specialized realms, but rather we are seeing rapid integration into many domains of everyday life. This panel addresses questions of AI inequality focusing on how aware individuals are of AI, their AI literacy and skills, and the differential AI impacts on cultural, economic, social, and personal spheres. The panel has four aims: First, to understand the current state of AI inequality within and across nations. Discuss how AI implementation has affected regions of the world differentially and created new social, economic and political gaps. Second, to critically examine current approaches to demographic and social factors that shape AI adoption and use. Third, to critically investigate current educational initiatives aimed at closing the AI gap, and their policy aims. Finally, to investigate how AI inequalities affect cultural, economic, social, and personal outcomes. The present panel looks at AI in society from a range of theoretical, epistemological, and methodological approaches. It looks at AI ethical challenges from the unique contexts of various regions of the world.