How Artificial Intelligence May Deepen Inequality in Climate Adaptation Efforts

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming how we predict climate risks and manage resource use, offering new tools for resilience. However, the technology may also widen the gap between those who can act on insights and those who cannot. While multinational corporations and wealthy municipalities are using AI to optimize procurement, infrastructure, and risk management, smallholders, cities in the Global South, and underfunded institutions struggle to keep pace. This ‘foresight gap’ means that although data and predictive tools are available, many lack the financial and institutional capacity to respond effectively. As a result, resilience becomes uneven: the better-resourced actors adapt quickly while vulnerable groups bear the brunt of disruption. The article stresses that without broad investment in public foresight infrastructure and partnerships to translate AI insights into action for under-resourced communities, the risks of systemic fragility will grow. True climate justice, the author argues, must involve not just protecting vulnerable populations, but equipping them to act. If not addressed, the uneven distribution of adaptive capacity could undermine efforts towards a stable and inclusive transition in the face of climate change and other global challenges.