联合国贸发会议-2021年技术与创新报告（英文）-2021.2-196页_7mb

报告摘要

EMBARGO & DOCUMENT OVERVIEW

Embargo Notice

The contents of this report must not be quoted or summarized in print, broadcast, electronic or social media before 25 February 2021 at 6 am GMT.

Document Summary

Core Content

The UNCTAD Technology and Innovation Report 2021 explores the dual impact of frontier technologies (e.g., AI, robotics, biotechnology) on sustainable development and inequality. It emphasizes the need for equitable access and inclusive innovation to ensure that the benefits of technological progress are shared across all societies, especially in developing countries.

Main Points

Technological Waves and Inequality
- Technological progress has historically widened global inequalities, starting with the first industrial revolution.
- While developed countries (particularly Western Europe and its offshoots, plus Japan) have led in technological advancement, many developing countries, especially the least developed countries (LDCs) and sub-Saharan Africa, are lagging in their ability to adopt and adapt these technologies.
- The report highlights that frontier technologies could significantly increase the global market to $3.2 trillion by 2025, offering substantial opportunities for development if harnessed properly.
Challenges of Frontier Technologies
- These technologies can exacerbate inequality by:
  - Automating jobs and reducing employment opportunities.
  - Creating job polarization and undermining labour rights.
  - Concentrating market and profit power.
  - Introducing biases and discrimination in AI systems.
  - Increasing digital divides and skill shortages.
- Developing countries face additional challenges, including:
  - Demographic changes.
  - Weak innovation and technology capacities.
  - Slow economic diversification.
  - Limited financing mechanisms.
  - Intellectual property rights and technology transfer barriers.
Opportunities for Inclusive Development
- Frontier technologies can enhance public services, health, education, and agriculture.
- The report stresses the importance of equitable access to technologies, especially in patented innovations.
- It promotes policy interventions such as universal basic income, public employment, and income support to mitigate negative impacts on the workforce.
Policy Recommendations
- National Governance: Strengthen science, technology and innovation (STI) systems and align them with industrial policies.
- International Cooperation: Facilitate technology transfer, strengthen innovation capacities, and increase women's participation in STEM.
- Social Activism: Encourage inclusive debates and ethical frameworks to guide the use of frontier technologies.
- Digital Skills: Develop digital literacy among students and the workforce.
- Social Protection: Implement measures to ease workforce transitions and reduce inequality.
Key Policy Areas
- Guide innovation towards reducing inequality by aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- Support inclusive innovation systems and scale up successful pilot projects.
- Adopt frontier technologies while mastering existing ones.
- Mitigate risks through social protection and anticipating future trends.
International Cooperation Priorities
- Build stronger national capacities in STI.
- Smooth technology transfer processes.
- Promote gender equality in STEM fields.
- Improve technological foresight and assessments.
- Encourage inclusive debates on the impact of frontier technologies.

Key Information

Frontier technologies include AI, robotics, biotechnology, and others.
The Frontier Technologies Readiness Index is introduced to assess the preparedness of countries to adopt and benefit from these technologies.
Data and indicators are used to analyze the impact of technological change on income inequality, employment, and development outcomes.
The report acknowledges the contribution of external experts and students in its preparation.
It emphasizes the non-deterministic nature of technology, highlighting the ethical and social responsibility to use them for the common good.

Conclusion

The report concludes that frontier technologies have the potential to drive sustainable development, but their unequal distribution and misuse could deepen existing inequalities. Therefore, inclusive and equitable policies are essential to ensure that all countries, especially the most vulnerable, can benefit from technological progress and avoid being left behind.

Annexes and Figures

Annex A: Conceptual framework on how technologies affect inequalities.
Annex B: Trends in frontier technologies and their market size.
Annex C: User perspective on how technologies affect inequalities.
Annex D: AI ethics frameworks and guidelines.
Figures: Include data on global inequality, technological adoption, income gaps, and SDG indicators.

References

The report uses data from the World Bank, UNCTADstat, and other international organizations.
It draws on expert contributions from various fields, including science, economics, and social policy.