SEOUL, South Korea / RankWire.AI / – On Tuesday, the World Bank Group introduced its inaugural digital strategy aimed at enabling developing nations to expand affordable digital connectivity, enhance service delivery, and generate employment opportunities. The comprehensive plan unites the lender’s expertise in both public and private sectors into a cohesive framework. The announcement took place in Seoul during the group’s Global AI and Digital Summit on October 20, with co-hosts including South Korea’s Ministry of Finance and Economy and Ministry of Science and ICT.
The strategy outlines four key areas of focus for the upcoming years. The first involves extending dependable connectivity, spanning from undersea cables to local networks supporting households, educational institutions, and healthcare facilities. The second focuses on reducing costs for entry-level smartphones and data access. The third area promotes digital services and skills development, including digital identification, mobile payments, and employment-related training. The fourth aims to establish the necessary infrastructure for countries to leverage artificial intelligence. Across all four domains, emphasis is placed on safeguarding privacy, cybersecurity, and fraud prevention.
World Bank Group President Ajay Banga highlighted the role of digital technology in creating jobs and optimizing limited resources for developing nations. He emphasized that unlocking this potential necessitates a holistic approach, covering reliable connectivity, affordable devices, and accessible services. Banga noted that the strategy consolidates these elements to benefit client countries. He also advocated for what he described as small AI, or AI for the people, emphasizing tools that utilize local data, languages, and affordable technology over expensive, large-scale models.
Developing countries confront a growing employment shortfall
The launch coincides with the challenge facing developing nations, which contend with limited resources and an escalating demand for jobs. Over the next 10 to 15 years, an estimated 1.2 billion young individuals in these countries will reach working age, yet their economies are projected to generate only approximately 420 million jobs during that period. The World Bank Group advocates for digital tools as a means to bridge this gap, asserting that technology can help enterprises expand their reach, increase productivity, and access financing more easily.
According to the bank, digital innovation is expected to bolster employment prospects across five priority sectors: infrastructure and energy, agribusiness, healthcare, tourism, and value-added manufacturing. Furthermore, digital systems have the potential to reduce costs associated with delivering public services to citizens. The strategy combines financial support, policy advice, private-sector investments, and guarantees, providing a foundation for collaboration with governments, tech firms, development agencies, and philanthropic organizations. In recent years, multilateral lenders have already increased their direct financing to developing economies.
Billions still lack online access as AI efforts launch
The World Bank Group pointed out persistent obstacles to digital inclusion, revealing that over 2 billion people worldwide remained offline in 2025. Internet usage in low-income countries stood at only 23%, compared to 94% in high-income nations. While many individuals are within network coverage, affordability issues, digital illiteracy, and limited access to relevant services hinder their digital participation. Some lack the financial means to purchase smartphones or data plans, further marginalizing them from digital benefits.
Alongside the digital strategy, the group announced the AI Infrastructure and Readiness Initiative. This program aims to assist governments in emerging markets by providing affordable, shared GPU infrastructure through a pay-as-you-go model, reducing the need for costly national data centers. Knowledge partners such as Cassava Technologies and NVIDIA will support the initiative, which initially targets Africa and Latin America, where the group hopes to turn small AI into a productive resource for local development.