ESCAP’s project with Google and APRU (Association of Pacific Rim Universities) aims to build a network of researchers exploring AI for social good that can conduct research relevant for policy makers. As part of this partnership, 8 research projects are being sponsored.

Frontier technologies have the potential to re-shape the economy and boost productivity across all sectors and industries. They also offer great potential to harness social and environmental goals.

Against this backdrop, the Asia-Pacific region and the world are moving steadily into the fourth industrial revolution. The scale, scope and speed of this transformation could be unlike anything the region has experienced before. A key concern is that this revolution, especially the uptake, adaptation and distribution of benefits generated by frontier technologies, such as artificial intelligence, could magnify inequalities through anticipated losses of certain lower-skilled job categories.