BFA Global, Caribou, and MSC, three organizations with a footprint spanning more than 150 countries, have announced the launch of the Alliance for Inclusive AI. This open coalition is committed to ensuring that the next wave of artificial intelligence expands global opportunity rather than deepening the digital divide.
By 2030, the Alliance aims to deliver responsible, practical AI solutions to 100 million people and mobilize US$100 million in blended finance. The initiative is a practitioner-led effort designed to integrate inclusive AI into critical workflows regarding financial inclusion, agriculture, climate resilience, and digital public services across the Global South.
The launch addresses a growing concern that while AI is set to reshape economies, it risks creating new fissures between nations that can afford the technology and those that cannot. World Bank Group President Ajay Banga recently highlighted this specific challenge.
“Big AI will create a bigger disparity between the developed world and the developing world at the start,” Banga cautioned. “On the other hand, ‘small AI’ – local models delivered on local devices – is going to be amazingly productive.”
Without leadership from emerging markets, the Alliance argues that AI will be built on assumptions that fail to reflect the lived realities of the global majority.
Prateek Shrivastava, Managing Director of BFA Global, emphasized that scale can only be achieved through partnership.
“Only by joining forces to mobilize resources, can we bring meaningful AI infrastructure and solutions to hundreds of millions of people globally,” said Shrivastava.
Jessica Osborn, CEO of Caribou, noted that the impact of AI depends heavily on who is building it.
“AI will reshape how people earn, learn, and access services. It will only deliver real impact when marginalized communities shape it,” Osborn said. “This Alliance ensures local actors build and use AI in ways that reflect their realities.”
Graham Wright, Co-Chair and Group Managing Director at MSC, issued a stark warning regarding the cost of being left behind.
“Countries that lack digital infrastructure, skilled workforces, and supportive policy frameworks may find themselves further marginalized,” Wright stated.
To mitigate these risks, the Alliance acts at the intersection of global development and innovation, organizing its work around six core pillars. These include creating foundational AI infrastructure tailored to emerging markets, delivering practical “small-AI” solutions for the underserved, and partnering with universities to develop local talent.
Additionally, the coalition focuses on developing operational tools that function in low-connectivity environments, supporting governments and regulators in designing inclusive strategies, and creating shared repositories of datasets and toolkits.
The Alliance is currently inviting technology providers, Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), investors, research institutions, and civil society organizations to join the effort.
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