RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Urgent calls to close the digital divide and expand technological access to underserved communities dominated the 19th session of the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF), which opened Monday in Riyadh.
The five-day summit brings together global leaders, policymakers, and experts to address the opportunities and risks of a digital future, amid stark disparities in access to technology worldwide.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, in his opening remarks, underscored the need for a unified approach to digital governance.
“Digital technology must serve humanity — not the other way around,” Guterres said, highlighting the launch of the Global Digital Compact during the 2024 General Assembly.
The initiative seeks to create international consensus on regulating artificial intelligence (AI), with a focus on inclusivity and accountability.
Despite advances in AI and other emerging technologies, access to the digital world remains uneven.
According to the EDISON Alliance, 2.6 billion people — nearly a third of the global population — still lack internet connectivity.
The disparity extends across economic, geographic, and demographic lines, with women, low-income populations, and rural communities disproportionately left behind.
“It is going to take us 134 years to close the digital divide,” warned Abdullah bin Amer Alswaha, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Communications and Technology.
He noted that the global gender divide alone costs the economy $7 trillion annually.
Alsawaha stressed the need for innovative solutions, pointing to airborne and space-borne networks as a faster, cost-effective way to expand connectivity.
“Connecting the world through terrestrial networks will cost half a trillion dollars,” he said. “But with connections from the sky, we can accelerate progress.”
The forum also spotlighted concerns over exclusion and bias in AI systems, along with the importance of safeguarding human rights in the digital sphere.
Ivana Bartoletti, Global Chief Privacy and AI Governance Officer at Wipro, emphasized the need for diversity in technology development and decision-making to eliminate bias in digital systems.
“Privacy and innovation can go hand-in-hand. Privacy is a fundamental public good,” Bartoletti said. She called for inclusive participation in AI governance, including women and marginalized groups.
“You must have diversity at the table where you audit these systems,” she added.
Speakers throughout the opening day acknowledged the complexities of closing the digital divide.
While significant investment and innovation are required, the forum underscored the shared responsibility of governments, industries, and civil society in building a digital future that leaves no one behind.
UN Under-Secretary-General Li Junhua echoed this sentiment, stating:
“It is important to ensure that digital technologies work for the people. Not against the people.”
The Riyadh summit, which runs through Friday, will continue to explore pathways for equitable technological progress while tackling issues of governance, privacy, and inclusion.
