Nearly 50% of world population still have no Internet access

Nearly 50% of world population still have no Internet access
Technology continues to advance leaving those not connected increasingly further behind. (File/Shutterstock)
Updated 10 February 2019
Follow

Nearly 50% of world population still have no Internet access

Nearly 50% of world population still have no Internet access
  • Discussion told technology continues to advance at a rapid rate
  • Nealry half the population are at risk because of a lack of Internet access

DUBAI: Nearly half the world’s population still have no Internet access, as technology continues to develop and it needs “addressing now” Karan Bhatia, Google’s VP of global public policy and government relations warned on Sunday.

Speaking at a discussion at the World Government Summit, Bhatia said the last decade had been “extraordinary” for the technology sector.

But he warned with almost half the globe’s population still not online, the problems associated would become more pronounced in the coming years – a situation he said needs addressing now. 

“Technology is moving at a rapid rate, with current buzzwords including AI and Blockchain. But, how do we develop the opportunities this technology offers while keeping data safe?” he added.

“We are standing at the dawn of an exciting new era – the question isn’t if AI will transform, it’s how fast it will transform.”