The Executive Director, The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Prof. Marcelo Knobel, said strong ethical frameworks and inclusive global standards will prevent Artificial Intelligence (AI) from further widening global inequalities.
Knobel told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan via an email interview yesterday.
According to him, ethical considerations must be embedded from the outset of AI development, especially to protect marginalised communities in developing countries.
“There’s a significant risk that AI systems can worsen existing inequalities if deployed without assessing their social impacts,” he said.
He listed algorithmic bias, data sovereignty, and personal data protection as top ethical concerns, noting that researchers in the global South need both tools and training to manage AI responsibly.
Knobel said TWAS aligns with UNESCO’s ‘Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence’, which promotes human rights, justice, and environmental sustainability.
He stated that data privacy must be maintained through strong governance frameworks, anonymisation, and informed consent processes that are sensitive to cultural and local contexts.
“TWAS can promote data sovereignty by expanding training on data governance and advocating equitable international research collaborations,” he said.