New Delhi, Mar 30: Microsoft on Wednesday announced plans to invest $50 billion by the end of the decade to expand access to artificial intelligence (AI) across countries in the Global South, cautioning that an emerging AI divide could widen global economic inequalities.
The announcement was made in a blog post by Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President, and Natasha Crampton, Chief Responsible AI Officer, who noted that AI adoption in the Global North is nearly double that of the Global South.
Addressing the India AI Impact Summit, Smith said unequal access to transformative technologies, much like electricity in the past century, could significantly influence global economic disparities if not addressed in time.
As part of its India-focused initiatives, Microsoft unveiled ‘Elevate for Educators’, a programme aimed at training two million teachers across more than two lakh schools, vocational institutes, and higher education institutions.
The initiative is expected to benefit around eight million students by enhancing AI-based learning opportunities through collaborations with education and workforce bodies.
The company also outlined a five-point strategy to drive AI adoption, including building digital infrastructure, expanding access through schools and non-profits, strengthening multilingual AI systems, supporting local innovation, and improving data-driven policy measurement.
Microsoft said it invested over $8 billion in data centre infrastructure in the Global South in the last fiscal year, covering regions such as India, Africa, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America.
It further stated that it aims to help 20 million people globally acquire AI skills by 2028, while targeting to equip 20 million individuals in India with essential AI capabilities by 2030.
According to the company, 5.6 million people in India received AI training in 2025.
In addition, Microsoft Research is developing ‘Samiksh’, a community-driven AI evaluation framework in collaboration with Indian organisations.
The initiative seeks to incorporate local languages and cultural contexts often overlooked in predominantly English-based AI systems.
India, the company noted, currently has the world’s second-largest developer community on GitHub with about 24 million users and remains the fastest-growing among major economies.
Microsoft emphasised that bridging the AI divide will require coordinated global efforts, investment in skills and infrastructure, and inclusive technological development.
