Technology needs empathy*
In a world marked by contrasts, technology and artificial intelligence (AI) are becoming tools that shorten distances, break down barriers, and transform lives. More than technical advances, they represent concrete opportunities to reduce inequality and accelerate sustainable development. However, no innovation is neutral. Its impact, positive or negative, depends on how it is conceived, designed, and applied to people’s real needs.
The importance of digital transformation becomes particularly clear when we consider its potential impact on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG): it is estimated that digital technologies could contribute to around 70% of the SDG targets. But this promise can only be fulfilled if we ensure that no one is left behind.
Today, roughly a third of the world’s population still lacks access to the internet (approximately 2.6 billion people, according to the International Telecommunication Union). This figure reminds us that digital transformation must be inclusive to be effective. But how do we ensure it reaches everyone?
Public services built on AI
According to the European Commission, the digitalization of public services has been improving accessibility, efficiency, and the user experience. Consider an elderly person living alone who needs to renew a document: with an AI-based virtual assistant, they could do so from home, without depending on others. The use of natural language interfaces reduces technical barriers and simplifies administrative processes. And when these systems are designed and refined based on user experience, they become tools of ever-greater closeness. For many citizens, this isn’t just about convenience – it has become a matter of autonomy.
Greater transparency in governance
Digitalization is also changing how governments are held accountable. Public data access platforms make information more transparent, facilitate scrutiny of spending, and strengthen institutional trust. Estonia is frequently cited as a European benchmark in digital governance, with interoperable systems and automated analysis of administrative data (e-Estonia). It’s worth noting that near real-time monitoring capability increases the responsiveness of authorities and boosts citizen engagement.
But transparency isn’t just about publishing data: it’s about making it understandable and useful to non-experts. That’s how democratic participation grows.
Learning without limits
Education is the foundation of any sustainable future. In many contexts, studying remains a privilege. During the conflict in Ukraine, initiatives supported by international organizations such as UNICEF created digital learning centers to allow displaced children to continue their education. Access to educational platforms through mobile devices made it possible to maintain schooling even under conditions of inequality, such as wartime circumstances. Here, technology doesn’t replace human connection, but it helps ensure continuity and dignity amid disruption.
One opportunity, one shared path
These are just three examples of the impact digitalization and AI can have in building a more dignified, more just world. Digital transformation isn’t just about technological innovation or increased economic competitiveness: it can create concrete opportunities to accelerate sustainable development and reduce inequality on a global scale. It can provide essential tools for building more inclusive and resilient societies.
Even so, investing in technology isn’t enough. It only fulfills its purpose when guided by empathy – that is, when systems are designed around people, their vulnerabilities, limitations, and expectations, not just technical efficiency. This requires public policies that ensure accessibility and equal opportunity. Because progress is only real when it reaches everyone.
This article was originally published in Observador.
