Expanding AI access worldwide

Could AI deepen global inequality or help close the gap?

Lisa Monaco, President of Global Affairs, Microsoft, says it all comes down to trust. She argues that “people won’t use technology that they don’t trust,” especially as geopolitical tensions raise concerns about the reliability and resilience of digital infrastructure.

Closing the AI gap between the Global North and Global South, she says, requires expanding language capabilities in AI models, investing in digital skills, and building principled partnerships across governments and industry. Monaco also pointed to the Trusted Technology Alliance, a coalition of global tech firms committed to transparent governance, secure supply chains, and data protection, standards she says should define trusted technology regardless of where it’s built.

Monaco shared these insights in a panel conversation titled, “The AI Divide: From Warning to Action,” filmed at UN headquarters in New York. The conversation is part of GZERO Media’s Global Stage series in partnership with Microsoft, which brings together global leaders to discuss the geopolitical and technological trends shaping our world.