Economic Models & Inequality
How AI reshapes economies, wealth distribution, and economic power — including the role of data as an economic asset and the gap between richer and poorer countries and regions.
Trajectory
Convergence; shrinking gaps
Main driver
Equitable AI investment; wellbeing economy
Leading actors
Governments; emerging economies
State in 2040
Income differences shrinking; wellbeing embedded
Income differences between countries are shrinking as AI investments are distributed more equitably globally. This leads to a comprehensive shift in economic dynamics and more stable societies. Emerging economies use infrastructure access to establish themselves as key players in AI development and create new AI ecosystems. The economy shifts from growth-based to wellbeing-based values, with community data ownership and social justice as guiding principles.