Everywhere you turn, the world is talking about artificial intelligence. It is called a global revolution. Some say it will change work, health, and even how we live. But in Nakivale refugee settlement, the word “global” feels very far away.
Here, people already live with little. Food rations have been cut, and families often run out before the month ends. In that reality, internet is not a given. A few hours of connection can cost the same as two meals. So when someone says AI is global, the question is: global for who?
This is not to deny the power of technology. Even in Nakivale, a single smartphone can change a life. It helps a student join an online class, a parent talk to relatives abroad, or a young person search for work. But this is survival technology. It is not artificial intelligence running on expensive machines.
The truth is simple. You cannot call AI global when billions of people are offline. You cannot call it inclusive when someone has to choose between food and WiFi. And you cannot celebrate progress when the very people most in need of opportunity are ignored in the design.
What gives me hope is not in the headlines about AI. It is in the young people in Nakivale who are learning to use computers for the first time, who are building small websites, or who are starting to earn from digital work. These steps may look small, but here they are as radical as any AI tool.
If the world wants AI to be truly global, it must start where people are, not where technology is. It must value the first email sent in Nakivale as much as the newest chatbot in New York. Until then, AI is not global. It is a luxury for those who can afford it.