The arrival of artificial intelligence has reshaped the digital landscape of Asia and the Pacific with AI embedded in network, infrastructure and daily use, yet persistent gaps in speed, reliability and computing power risk leaving countries behind.
The convergence of AI, advanced networks, computing and data is transforming digital infrastructure from a system that simply carries information into one that can analyse information and support real-time decision-making. This could help countries tackle some of the region's most pressing challenges, from improving disaster response and public services to making transport, energy and other critical systems more efficient.
"Ensuring that AI-native network infrastructure benefits all economies of the region, rather than deepening existing inequalities, will require deliberate and coordinated policy action by Governments individually and through regional cooperation," said Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
ESCAP's newly released Asia-Pacific Digital Transformation Report 2026 warns that the next digital divide may be more than access to the Internet. The region records an average Digital Transformation Index (DTI) score of 50.28, above the global average of 49.63, but it continues to face gaps in innovation capacity and institutional conditions. Digital development outcomes in high-income economies in the region are nearly four times higher than in low-income economies.
Highlighting the power of AI-enabled infrastructure, the report explains how tools like SatGPT can generate flood-prone maps from simple prompts to speed up emergency response. It also features best practices for leveraging AI and digital technologies across early warning systems.
The report was launched today at the opening of the ESCAP Committee on Information and Communications Technology, Science, Technology and Innovation. Over the course of 3 days, ministers and senior officials will deliberate on advancing digital inclusion and transformation as well as strengthening regional cooperation to bridge the digital divide through the action plan of the Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway initiative 2027-2030.
The plan includes actions to enhance resilient and cross-border digital infrastructure, improve public services through emerging technologies, promote the sharing of innovative digital solutions and build secure and trusted data systems. It also calls for tailored support and knowledge-sharing to help countries and communities facing the greatest barriers benefit from new technologies.
