(AURN News) — As artificial intelligence continues to reshape the economy, a new report warns that Black Americans could be left behind without deliberate action to address existing inequities.
The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a Black think tank, says the rapid rise of AI presents both opportunity and risk, particularly for communities that have historically faced barriers to economic access.
“The rise of AI presents both extraordinary opportunity and heightened risk. If current inequities are left unaddressed, the rise of AI will deepen the very disparities it could help solve. Economic modeling suggests that without deliberate intervention, the racial wealth divide could widen by as much as $43 billion each year by 2045,” the report said.
The report also points to historical patterns, warning that technological advancement has often reinforced inequality when inclusion is not prioritized.
“U.S. history shows that without a focus on bridging inequality, the resulting systems entrench the very disparities they could dismantle. The inverse is also true: when inclusion is built into the architecture of technological change, the benefits ripple outward, strengthening economies, fostering resilience, and expanding opportunity,” said report author Danielle A. Canty, Esq., director of tech policy.
Researchers say key barriers include gaps in knowledge and training, limited infrastructure, lack of access to capital and markets, and underrepresentation in decision-making roles.
Without intervention, the report warns, those challenges could prevent Black entrepreneurs and workers from fully participating in the growing AI economy.
Click play to listen to the AURN News report from Jamie Jackson:
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