For years now, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been rapidly shaping how we learn, work, access services, and participate in society. But amidst this change, one question matters above all: who is included, and who is left behind?
Digital inclusion is the principle that everyone should be able to use digital technology, regardless of their background, language, disability or income. And using digital technology doesn't just involve being able to access it. It involves benefitting meaningfully from it.
Artificial intelligence has the power to become one of the most important tools we've ever had for closing inequalities, but there's also a risk that it could deepen them. This post explores both realities, and why the next generation of AI leaders must actively shape the direction we take.
Curious about why now is the best time to study AI? Read our blog post on the topic here.
What digital inclusion really means in an AI era
Digital inclusion goes beyond Wi-Fi access or owning a smartphone. It’s about ensuring people can confidently use, understand, and benefit from the systems that now have a place in our everyday lives. These range from education platforms and banking apps to healthcare portals and other public services.
In an AI-driven world, inclusion now also depends on whether systems are fair, transparent and designed for everyone, including those who have historically been excluded. That makes responsible AI design not just a technical concern, but a societal responsibility.
Breaking educational barriers with AI
Education is one of the clearest areas where AI is already expanding access. Traditional systems often struggle to serve diverse learners equally, but AI can personalise support at a level once only possible with private tutoring.
AI-powered adaptive learning platforms adjust in real time to how a student learns, i.e., their pace, preferred style, and progress. Learners who need more time receive step-by-step guidance; those ready to progress aren’t held back.
Accessibility is transformed through tools such as:
- Text-to-speech and speech-to-text for learners with visual, motor or learning differences
- Real-time machine translation, opening global learning communities to multilingual students
- AI tutoring systems that supplement teacher support, especially in regions with staff shortages
These systems don’t replace educators. They amplify their impact, helping make education not just available, but equitably usable.
AI expanding access to healthcare
Healthcare is another area where AI is beginning to bridge long-standing gaps in access, particularly for underserved or remote communities.
AI-powered telemedicine platforms are enabling patients to receive guidance, triage, and follow-up support without needing to travel. This is especially useful for those who have mobility challenges or live far from medical facilities.
Meanwhile, AI diagnostic tools trained on millions of medical images can assist in the early detection of conditions like diabetic retinopathy or cancer. This helps clinicians prioritise urgent cases, even where there's limited specialist expertise.
Importantly, AI is also improving language and communication access:
- AI systems can translate medical information into plain language or multiple languages
- Chatbots can offer guidance in a patient’s native or preferred language
- Information can be delivered in more accessible formats, i.e., audio, summaries, or simplified explanations
AI offers immense potential to reduce healthcare inequity, but only when tools are designed using diverse datasets and tested across real-world contexts.
AI making public services more accessible
Governments and local authorities are adopting AI to make public services more usable, especially for citizens who previously struggled to access them.
AI-powered virtual assistants and chatbots can now provide round-the-clock guidance in multiple languages. This can help people apply for benefits, navigate housing support, or understand tax processes without needing to wait in long queues or decode complex systems.
Behind the scenes, predictive analytics are helping authorities allocate resources more fairly. This can involve identifying communities at risk of housing insecurity or health decline before crisis hits.
AI can also increase accessibility of digital government platforms through:
- Automatic plain-language summaries of policy documents
- Image recognition tools that describe visual content to visually impaired users
- Personalised support based on user context or historical interaction
When it's implemented the right way, AI helps ensure that public systems not only run efficiently but reach the people who need them most.
Navigating the ethical challenges
While the potential of AI to promote inclusion is enormous, it isn't automatic. Without responsible design, AI systems can unintentionally reinforce the very inequalities they aim to solve.
Key risks include:
- Biases in training data, leading to unfair outcomes for certain demographics
- Unequal access to AI tools, creating a two-tier system where some communities benefit and others fall through the cracks
- Opaque decision-making, where people are impacted by AI systems they cannot question or understand
- Low AI literacy, meaning communities affected by AI are excluded from shaping its design and governance
This is why inclusive AI requires human leadership, not just technical optimisation. The question isn't simply what AI can do. The question is who it's built for, who is at the table, and who it empowers.
The role of future AI leaders
AI is advancing quickly, and its future can’t be shaped by engineers alone. It also needs people who understand policy, education, healthcare, justice, and wider social impact.
Our online MA Artificial Intelligence courses help develop this kind of broad, informed leadership. You can choose from three pathways: Artificial Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence (Criminal Justice Systems), and Artificial Intelligence (Digital Transformation). All are conversion courses, so you don’t need prior technical experience.
Across these courses, you’ll learn how AI systems work and how they connect to fairness, governance, regulation, and society. You’ll build a foundation in modern AI methods, gain practical skills for designing and evaluating AI systems, and develop the insight needed to shape policy and strategy. The focus is on human-centered and inclusive approaches to technology.
If you want to play an active role in ensuring AI is used responsibly and benefits more people, these courses offer a practical starting point:
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