World Bank Group launches first digital strategy and AI readiness initiative
A new strategy sets four priorities for digital access and services; a parallel initiative will explore shared pay-as-you-go GPU capacity in Africa and Latin America.
Event / data period: 2026-10-20
Published: · Updated:
The World Bank Group launched its first digital strategy in Seoul on 20 October. It sets priorities for connectivity, affordable devices and data, digital services and skills, and foundations for artificial intelligence, with privacy, cybersecurity and fraud safeguards across the programme.
The release says more than two billion people were offline globally in 2025; internet use was 23% in low-income countries and 94% in high-income countries. A separate AI Infrastructure and Readiness Initiative will initially focus on Africa and Latin America, exploring shared pay-as-you-go GPU infrastructure rather than standalone national data centres.
Data
Internet use in 2025
Offline population and internet use by income group in the World Bank release.
| Low-income countries | 23 |
| High-income countries | 94 |
Methodology
The source reports 2025 global and income-group figures; these are not country rankings or forecasts.
Updated:
Strategy launch
Digital strategy and AI infrastructure initiative introduced.
- · Occurred
Seoul launch
The World Bank Group launched its first digital strategy.
Methodology
The source reports 2025 global and income-group figures; these are not country rankings or forecasts.
Updated:
Subjects and places
Subject proposals
- Artificial intelligenceSuggested
- Subject suggested from the title or summary: AIwww.worldbank.org ↗