The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations’ specialized agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs), was established in 1865 and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. It brings together 194 Member States and over 1,000 sector members, including companies, universities, and organizations, to drive global digital connectivity and cooperation. ITU allocates radio spectrum and satellite orbits, develops international technical standards, and expands access to digital technologies in underserved communities. Through these efforts, it enables seamless communication across mobile networks, the Internet, broadcasting, and satellite services, while advancing digital inclusion, innovation, and sustainable development worldwide.
At the World Futures Forum, organized by India SME Forum in partnership with WeDO, Atsuko Okuda, Regional Director of the ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Telecommunication Development Bureau, engaged in an exclusive dialogue with The Interview World. She detailed how ITU establishes global technical and digital frameworks, explained how artificial intelligence can enhance quality of life, highlighted the organization’s efforts to bridge the digital divide, and emphasized how disruptive technologies can reduce disparities across diverse demographics. The following are the key takeaways from her insightful conversation.
Q: What is the mandate of the ITU, and how does your organization plan to promote its technical and digital framework on a global scale?
A: The ITU serves as the United Nations’ specialized agency for digital technology, offering multiple layers of support. First and foremost is infrastructure. Robust broadband connectivity is essential for any digitalization or AI development. To address this, ITU actively supports the expansion of fiber-optic networks, submarine cables, satellite systems, and mobile telecommunications.
Beyond infrastructure, ITU provides guidance on policy, regulation, and capacity development. It also manages critical areas such as statistics, e-waste, and cybersecurity. Together, these efforts form a comprehensive package that enables countries and communities to fully leverage the benefits of digitalization, digital transformation, and AI, delivered in a carefully sequenced approach.
Q: In what ways do you anticipate AI will improve the quality of life globally?
A: I see immense, life-changing opportunities emerging from AI. Naturally, AI is not perfect, so we must remain cautious about its capabilities and limitations. Yet, it can provide vital, practical information across many areas, health, education, agriculture, and disaster response, for instance.
AI-powered education services, in particular, have gained global popularity. Applications like Duolingo allow users to learn languages interactively, with AI agents engaging them daily. This access is universal. Even residents of remote communities, such as isolated islands in Fiji, can learn languages just as someone in Delhi can, provided there is connectivity. Such capabilities are truly empowering, transforming learning and opportunity across the world.
Q: With around 2.2 billion people still unconnected to the internet, how is your organization addressing this digital divide?
A: We have a dedicated statistics division, and their data shows that 2.2 billion people have been estimated to be offline and those are the people who are offline over the past three months. While some individuals may have connected four months ago, this figure provides a clear estimate of the challenges we face. A significant portion of these offline populations, many of them are women in rural areas, lack reliable, robust connectivity.
This raises a critical question for all of us: what kind of AI are we building? Do we design it solely for urban, well-educated populations, effectively leaving others behind? Or do we focus on expanding access and connectivity so that everyone can benefit from AI, together?
Q: Do disruptive technologies promote inclusivity, and can they help reduce disparities among diverse demographics?
A: Now that we understand AI’s potential, many governments are prioritizing digital inclusion and capacity development to ensure its benefits reach everyone. This creates an urgent imperative to connect the unconnected, including those without literacy skills, limited income, or those living in remote mountainous regions, and provide training opportunities. Ensuring equitable access is not just a goal; it is a clear policy imperative.
