Tech chiefs call for measures to bridge global AI access gap

'THE BEST WAY TO AVOID AN AI DIVIDE IS TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE'

- BY NIVETHA DAYANAND Assistant Business Editor

OpenAI's Sam Altman and G42's Peng Xiao, speaking at Gitex Global 2025 in Dubai, urged nations worldwide to make AI a top priority and ensure that people are central to its development.

(Nivetha Dayanand/Gulf News)

At a time when the world is debating whether artificial intelligence will take away jobs or reshape economies, two of the industry’s most influential figures warned that the real divide ahead will be one of access.

Speaking at Gitex Global 2025 in Dubai, Sam Altman, Co-founder and CEO of OpenAl, and Peng Xiao, Group CEO of G42, agreed that the true challenge is not building smarter systems, but ensuring that everyone can use them.