SEOUL, South Korea / RankWire.AI / – On Tuesday, the World Bank Group introduced its first-ever digital strategy, targeting the expansion of affordable digital access, enhancement of services, and the generation of new employment opportunities in developing nations. This initiative integrates the institution’s public and private sector expertise into a unified framework. The announcement was made during the group’s Global AI and Digital Summit held in Seoul on October 20, with co-hosts including South Korea’s Ministry of Finance and Economy along with the Ministry of Science and ICT.
The strategy outlines four main areas of focus for the upcoming years. The initial goal is to improve reliable connectivity, spanning from international submarine cables to local networks that support households, educational institutions, and healthcare facilities. The second priority involves reducing costs for entry-level smartphones and data plans. The third emphasizes digital services and skill development, covering digital identification, financial transactions, and employment-related training. The fourth aims to equip countries with the foundational tools necessary to leverage artificial intelligence. Across all four sectors, measures to ensure privacy, cybersecurity, and fraud prevention are integrated.
According to Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group, digital technology holds the potential to generate employment opportunities and optimize resource utilization. He emphasized that unlocking this potential necessitates a holistic approach, including reliable connectivity, affordable devices, and valuable services. Banga highlighted that the strategy consolidates these elements for client nations. Additionally, he advocated for what he termed small AI, which he described as AI for the people. Such localized tools depend on regional data, native languages, and cost-effective technology, avoiding reliance on large, expensive models.
Developing Countries Confront Growing Employment Shortfalls
This launch coincides with the challenge faced by developing nations, which have limited resources and an increasing demand for jobs. Over the next 10 to 15 years, approximately 1.2 billion young individuals in these regions will enter the workforce, yet their economies are expected to generate only around 420 million new jobs during this period. The World Bank Group considers digital tools as a means to bridge this gap, believing that technology can assist businesses in expanding their customer base, increasing productivity, and accessing financing options.
The group anticipates that digital advancements will support employment across its five key sectors: infrastructure and energy, agribusiness, health care, tourism, and value-added manufacturing. Moreover, digital systems can reduce costs associated with delivering public services to citizens. The strategy combines financial support, policy guidance, private sector investments, and guarantees, forming a foundation for collaboration with governments, technology providers, development agencies, and philanthropic organizations. In recent years, multilateral lenders have increased their direct financing to emerging economies.
Billions Still Without Internet Access as AI Program Initiatives Commence
Significant obstacles to digital inclusion persist, according to the World Bank Group. More than 2 billion people remained offline globally in 2025. In low-income countries, only 23% of the population used the internet, compared to 94% in high-income nations. Many individuals are within network coverage areas but cannot afford smartphones or data plans. Others lack digital literacy or access to relevant services.
Alongside the strategy, the group announced the AI Infrastructure and Readiness Initiative. This program aims to assist governments in emerging markets by providing affordable computing capacity through shared, pay-as-you-go GPU infrastructure, offering a viable alternative to constructing independent national data centers. Knowledge partners for this effort include Cassava Technologies and NVIDIA. The initial focus will be on Africa and Latin America, where the group seeks to deploy small AI applications to generate tangible benefits.