29 July 2026 | News
Image Courtesy: Public Domain
The ITU's AI for Good Lab forms part of the implementation agenda of the United Nations AI for Good Impact Initiative, helping developing and emerging economies move beyond isolated AI pilot projects and build the policy, skills and public infrastructure needed to deploy locally relevant AI solutions responsibly and at scale.
Announced during the AI for Good Global Summit 2026 in Geneva, the Lab brings together three interconnected areas of support: national AI readiness and policy, skills development and public AI infrastructure.
Dr. Ebtesam Almazrouei, Chairperson of the United Nations AI for Good Impact Initiative, said:
"Artificial intelligence is entering its implementation decade. Countries are no longer asking whether AI can transform society; they are asking how it can be implemented responsibly, inclusively and at scale. The ITU's AI for Good Lab will help turn proven ideas into national capabilities and measurable outcomes."
Seizo Onoe, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Standardization Bureau, said:
"Every country deserves the chance to shape its own AI future. Our AI for Good Lab reflects ITU's commitment to ensuring that the benefits of AI reach everyone, everywhere."
Through AI readiness assessments and policy guidance, the Lab will help governments identify national priorities. Its skills-development programmes will build inclusive local talent pipelines for policymakers, entrepreneurs, students and innovators, including through the AI for Good Innovation Factory, which has engaged over 200 startups from 88 countries.
The Lab will also support public AI infrastructure, giving countries access to open datasets, compute resources, reusable AI models and open-source tools for priority sectors such as health, agriculture, education and mobility.
The Lab builds on AI for Good Sandbox activities in ten pilot countries: Cameroon, India, Mozambique, Nepal, Peru, Tanzania, the UAE, Uzbekistan, Zambia and Zimbabwe. It also works with the African Telecommunications Union, national governments and ITU regional offices to establish local hubs and scale successful projects.
