Draft Resolution
Committee: Economic and Financial (ECOFIN)
Question of: Regulating the Economic Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Employment
and the Digital Divide
Main Submittor: Canada
Signatories: Republic of Poland, Russian Federation, Republic of Singapore, State of Israel,
United Mexican States, Republic of Estonia, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, World Bank,
Republic of Belarus, Republic of Cambodia, Republic of India, United States of America, Arab
Republic of Egypt, Swiss Confederation, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Italian Republic, French
Republic, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Arab Emirates
The Economic and Financial Committee,
Recognising the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) in finance, manufacturing, public
administration, healthcare, transport, and education, and noting both its potential to raise
productivity and its risk of displacing large numbers of workers,
Deeply concerned that uneven access to AI and digital tools is already widening the economic
and social gap between developed and developing countries,
Aware that many Member States, especially low- and middle-income nations, lack sufficient
infrastructure, skilled workforce and regulatory capacity to manage AI’s impact on jobs,
Taking into account that AI can also create new types of employment and entrepreneurship,
provided that governments and private actors invest in training, innovation ecosystems and social
protection,
Emphasising the importance of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),
especially SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and
Infrastructure) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities),
Welcoming efforts by international institutions such as the International Labour Organization
(ILO), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP), the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to support
digital transformation and inclusive growth,
Taking note of various national AI strategies — including Canada’s Pan-Canadian Artificial
Intelligence Strategy (2017), Singapore’s AI Singapore programme (2017), India’s National
Strategy for Artificial Intelligence (2018) and the European Union’s Coordinated Plan on AI
(updated 2021) — which provide lessons on balancing innovation with social protection,
Highlighting that governments, the private sector, and civil society all have a shared
responsibility to ensure that AI benefits humanity as a whole and not just a small segment,
Further noting the potential of central bank digital currencies and public digital infrastructure to
reduce transaction costs and improve access to financial services in underserved areas,
Acknowledging that while AI systems can improve efficiency in public services, they must be
transparent, explainable, and free of bias to prevent harm to vulnerable groups,
Alarmed by the increase in the digital divide due to the difference in the amount of people who
use AI.
Operative Clauses
1. Proposes that all Member States prepare a National AI Transition Plan within 24 months
which:
a. Maps sectors most at risk from automation using real labour statistics and consultation with
trade unions and employers,
b. Identifies training gaps and allocates funding for reskilling and upskilling,
c. Requires a human decision-maker to review AI outputs in critical areas such as hiring,
firing and wage setting,
d. Establishes a public registry of government-deployed AI systems, including purpose, scope
and oversight mechanism;
2. Urges the creation of AI Adjustment Funds at the national or regional level, financed
through a mix of public budgets, voluntary contributions from large AI-using firms, and
concessional loans, to:
a. Provide income support or temporary wage subsidies for workers displaced by AI,
b. Subsidise digital skills courses offered by accredited training centres,
c. Offer grants or low-interest credit for small and medium enterprises adopting AI
responsibly;
3. Recommends that Member States invest in digital infrastructure and affordable broadband
by:
a. Prioritising rural, remote and underserved urban areas in national connectivity plans,
b. Partnering with regional development banks and international donors to finance fibre
optics, satellite Internet or community networks,
c. Supporting open-source software and local language applications to widen access;
4. Encourages governments to introduce AI taxation or levy pilots, sometimes called “robot
taxes,” in a flexible and nationally determined manner, provided revenues are earmarked for:
a. Worker retraining and lifelong learning initiatives,
b. Grants for start-ups creating AI tools for public benefit,
c. Public research into ethical AI and bias mitigation techniques;
5. Calls for the establishment of a UN Digital Solidarity Platform under the joint auspices of
UNDP, ITU and the World Bank to:
a. Coordinate funding streams for digital inclusion projects,
b. Facilitate cross-border partnerships between universities, vocational institutes and tech
firms,
c. Provide a clearinghouse of best practices and open educational resources on AI ethics and
employment,
d. Monitor progress on bridging the digital divide using agreed indicators;
6. Requests the ILO to issue a biennial Global Report on AI and Employment including:
a. Sectoral data on jobs lost, jobs created, wages and productivity,
b. Comparative case studies of countries successfully managing AI transitions,
c. Recommendations on minimum standards for worker protection in AI-driven economies;
7. Invites the IMF and World Bank to integrate AI-transition risk metrics and digital
readiness indices into Article IV consultations, lending conditionalities and technical assistance,
thereby steering investments toward sustainable AI adoption;
8. Stresses the importance of public procurement guidelines for AI systems, recommending
that Member States:
a. Favour vendors who demonstrate inclusive hiring, safe data practices and ethical standards,
b. Include algorithmic impact assessments in tender documents,
c. Encourage interoperability and open standards to avoid vendor lock-in;
9. Suggests the creation of regional AI training hubs (for example, in Africa, South Asia and
Latin America) that:
a. Offer free or low-cost courses in coding, data science, cybersecurity and AI operations,
b. Partner with local universities and NGOs to provide mentoring and internships,
c. Run “train the trainer” programmes so knowledge spreads beyond initial participants;
10. Encourages education ministries to embed AI and digital literacy into school curricula
from primary level onwards, emphasising ethics, teamwork and creative problem-solving rather
than rote coding
a. The usage of AI in cybersecurity,
b. The effects of the digital divide;
11. Calls on major technology companies and large AI users to sign a Digital Responsibility
Charter committing them to:
a. Invest at least a percentage of profits in local capacity building and community projects,
b. Disclose high-level information about training data sources, bias mitigation and energy use
of AI systems,
c. Avoid monopolistic practices that limit smaller firms’ access to AI tools;
12. Requests UN agencies and development partners to support pilot projects on AI in public
services (such as health, agriculture and disaster management) in low-income countries, ensuring
that:
a. Local communities are consulted in project design,
b. Training is provided to civil servants and end-users,
c. Open data and knowledge sharing are built into contracts;
13. Encourages governments to develop social dialogue mechanisms with trade unions,
employer associations and civil society to anticipate AI’s impact on jobs and negotiate fair
transitions;
14. Proposes periodic peer review sessions at ECOFIN where Member States present progress
on their AI transition plans, share lessons learned and receive constructive feedback;
15. Further resolves to review and revise this resolution after five years based on empirical
evidence, stakeholder input and technological developments.
Honourable Chair, distinguished delegates,
The delegation of Canada is proud to present its draft resolution on Regulating the Economic
Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Employment and the Digital Divide. Around the world,
AI is transforming finance, health, transport, and education. While it offers great promise for
productivity and innovation, it also risks deepening inequalities, disrupting labour markets, and
widening the digital divide between nations.
Our resolution proposes National AI Transition Plans, the creation of AI Adjustment Funds
to support workers, and major investments in digital infrastructure so that no community is
left behind. We also call for a UN Digital Solidarity Platform to coordinate training, funding,
and knowledge-sharing globally.
Honourable Chair, esteemed delegates,
We thank the distinguished delegate of Canada for yielding the floor. The delegations of Israel
and Mexico fully support this draft resolution, which recognises both the promise and the
disruption brought by artificial intelligence. By emphasising training and reskilling, digital
infrastructure, and the creation of a UN Digital Solidarity Platform, this resolution ensures
that AI becomes a tool for inclusive growth rather than exclusion.
We particularly endorse the clauses on regional AI training hubs and the Digital
Responsibility Charter, which will allow governments, businesses, and civil society to
collaborate transparently. These measures address not only employment but also the ethics and
fairness of AI systems.
Our delegation urges Member States to join us in co-sponsoring and voting in favour of this
resolution to close the digital divide and protect workers worldwide.