ITU launches 'AI for Good Lab' to help developing economies scale responsible AI

GENEVA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 27th Jul, 2026) The ITU’s AI for Good Lab, led by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), forms part of the implementation agenda of the United Nations AI for Good Impact Initiative.

The Lab will help developing and emerging economies move beyond isolated artificial intelligence pilot projects and build the policy, skills and public infrastructure needed to deploy locally relevant AI solutions responsibly and at scale.

Announced during the AI for Good Global Summit 2026 in Geneva, the Lab brings together three interconnected areas of support: national AI readiness and policy, skills development and public AI infrastructure.

The integrated model is designed to help countries assess their capabilities, strengthen institutional capacity, develop local talent and establish sustainable AI ecosystems capable of delivering long-term economic and societal impact.

Dr. Ebtesam Almazrouei, Chairperson of the United Nations AI for Good Impact Initiative, said, “Artificial intelligence is entering its implementation decade. Countries are no longer asking whether AI can transform society; they are asking how it can be implemented responsibly, inclusively and at scale.

“The ITU’s AI for Good Lab will help turn proven ideas into national capabilities and measurable outcomes. Its success will not be defined by the sophistication of technology alone, but by the opportunities it creates, the inequalities it reduces and the lives it improves.”

Seizo Onoe, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Standardization Bureau, said, “Every country deserves the chance to shape its own AI future. Our AI for Good Lab reflects ITU’s commitment to ensuring that the benefits of AI reach everyone, everywhere, turning global ambition into national capability to build strong AI ecosystems at home.”

Through AI readiness assessments, policy guidance and capacity-building programmes, the Lab will support governments in identifying national priorities and the investments, governance frameworks and institutional capabilities required for responsible AI adoption.

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Its skills-development programmes will help build inclusive local talent pipelines, equipping policymakers, public-sector leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs, students and young innovators with the capabilities needed to develop and apply AI effectively.

These programmes include the AI for Good Innovation Factory, which has engaged more than 200 startups from over 88 countries since its launch in 2020.

The Lab will also support the development of public AI infrastructure by giving countries access to open datasets, compute resources, reusable AI models and open-source tools through sandbox environments.

This will allow governments, academia, startups and industry to test, adapt and validate AI solutions based on local needs, including across priority sectors such as health, agriculture, education and mobility, in alignment with international standards.

The Lab builds on AI for Good Sandbox activities in ten pilot countries: Cameroon, India, Mozambique, Nepal, Peru, Tanzania, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Zambia and Zimbabwe, as well as with the African Telecommunications Union.

It will work with national governments and ITU regional offices to establish local and regional hubs, facilitate knowledge exchange and help successful projects progress towards wider implementation.

By connecting proven solutions with in-country policy, skills and infrastructure support, the ITU’s AI for Good Lab aims to create a clearer pathway from innovation to implementation, helping countries adapt and scale AI solutions that address national priorities and advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

“As AI capabilities advance towards artificial general intelligence and a new era of humanoid machines, international collaboration will be critical to ensuring that progress remains responsible, inclusive and human-centred,” Dr. Almazrouei added. “The Lab provides a practical platform for countries and partners to shape that future together, building the capabilities, standards and safeguards needed to turn emerging technologies into shared progress.”