AI Safety and Security as Catalysts for Innovation in Global Majority Countries
In recent discussions surrounding AI governance, a narrative has emerged that highlights the tension between the imperative for AI safety and security and the drive for innovation. This discourse has become increasingly prominent in the context of emerging economies, where ensuring safety and security is deemed not as an impediment but as a facilitator of sustainable innovation and long-term development.
The Dichotomy of Innovation vs. Safety
At the heart of contemporary AI governance debates lies a central tension: the perceived trade-off between advancing innovation and ensuring safety and security. AI safety refers to preventing harm from advanced systems, which may include catastrophic misuse, bias, and disruptions in the labor market. Meanwhile, AI security focuses on protecting the integrity of AI models through their design, implementation, and deployment. Despite their necessity, these aspects are frequently framed as barriers to rapid technological advancement.
This framing has fostered an implicit narrative suggesting that prioritizing safety and security might delay adoption, consequently hindering countries, particularly those in the Global Majority, from fully capturing the economic and developmental benefits of AI.
Global Summits Reflecting Diverging Perspectives
The evolution of global summits, such as the Bletchley Park Summit (2023) and the Paris AI Action Summit (2025), illustrates how this dichotomy has been entrenched in policy discourse. The Bletchley Park Summit emphasized safety concerns surrounding frontier AI models, while the Paris summit celebrated innovation and large-scale funding commitments, framing regulation as a potential barrier to progress.
For Global Majority countries, the stakes are particularly high, as risks may disproportionately affect states with fewer resources to absorb systemic shocks. The urgency to close the widening “AI divide” creates pressure to adopt AI technologies rapidly. In this context, safety and security should be perceived as essential conditions for sustainable innovation rather than costs.
Economic Implications of Neglecting Safety and Security
The economic consequences of technological failures, cybercrime, or setbacks on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) may be significantly magnified due to increased reliance on AI technologies. For instance, the economic costs of cybercrime in African nations were estimated to represent 10% of their GDP in 2021, totaling approximately $4.12 billion.
Moreover, historical instances, such as the notorious ransomware attack in Costa Rica in 2022, highlight the potential financial devastation when safety and security are overlooked. Such incidents underscore the necessity of treating AI safety and security as foundational pillars for resilient and equitable technological development.
Developmental Advantages of Investing in Safety and Security
Investments in AI safety and security have historically yielded substantial dividends for Global Majority countries. For instance, technology transfer from developed to emerging economies can significantly contribute to sustainable development when local environments are prioritized. Context-appropriate technologies that address local risks are more likely to be effective.
The nuclear sector serves as a cautionary tale; ignoring local risks can lead to catastrophic failures, as exemplified by the Bataan plant in the Philippines, which cost over $2 billion without ever becoming operational. In contrast, the International Atomic Energy Agency’s approach emphasizes safety as a developmental asset, embedding safety standards into capacity-building programs.
Building Trust for Widespread Adoption
Trust is critical to the uptake of new technologies. Users are more likely to adopt innovations when they believe that the system will deliver benefits without causing harm. Safety and security measures play a vital role in building this trust. A notable example is Kenya’s M-PESA financial service, where robust security reassured users and enabled widespread adoption, transforming the national economy.
Strengthening AI safety and security frameworks can accelerate adoption, expand access for informal workers, and unlock significant economic potential. Clear and stable regulatory environments signal predictability and safety, encouraging investment and supporting domestic innovation.
Advocating for Global Majority Interests
Active participation in international AI governance is crucial for addressing global power imbalances and advancing the development and sovereignty of Global Majority countries. India has emerged as a key player in this effort, leveraging its leadership on digital public infrastructure to promote inclusive, secure systems designed for resource-constrained environments.
Through initiatives like the UN’s DPI Safeguards and its 2023 G20 presidency, India champions a model that embeds safety from the outset. As the risks of AI safety and security frameworks being shaped by a narrow group of dominant actors loom, India is positioned to realign global AI governance with the development priorities of the Global Majority, particularly as it steers the upcoming AI Impact Summit toward inclusive decision-making.
Conclusion
As AI governance frameworks continue to evolve, it is imperative for Global Majority countries to transcend the dichotomy that positions safety and security as obstacles to innovation. Building domestic capacity for AI safety and security, along with active participation in multilateral governance, is fundamental to fostering innovation. By mitigating systemic risks and fostering trust, safety and security measures can pave the way for long-term developmental benefits that rapid yet fragile adoption cannot deliver.
The upcoming AI Impact Summit in India in February 2026 presents a critical opportunity to harmonize these competing narratives on AI governance, illustrating that a robust focus on AI risks can enable, rather than hinder, the technology’s potential to address pressing global challenges.
