AI Expansion Could Deepen Economic Divide Between Maritime Nations, Study Warns

The accelerating adoption of artificial intelligence across global industries risks exacerbating economic inequality between developed and developing nations, according to a significant new study released by the Ayre Think Tank. The research, published from St John's, Antigua and Barbuda, estimates the potential divergence at $360 billion — a figure that carries considerable weight for maritime-dependent economies across the Global South. While the study spans multiple sectors, its findings carry direct relevance for the maritime industry, where AI-driven technologies are increasingly being deployed in areas such as autonomous vessel navigation, predictive port logistics, cargo optimisation, and fleet management. Nations with the capital and infrastructure to adopt these technologies stand to gain substantial competitive advantages, while smaller, developing maritime economies may find themselves further marginalised. Many of the world's busiest emerging-market ports — particularly across sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Caribbean — already face challenges in modernising ageing infrastructure and attracting investment. The Ayre Think Tank's findings suggest that without targeted intervention or international cooperation, the AI transition could compound these disadvantages rather than alleviate them. The report's release from Antigua and Barbuda is itself notable, as small island developing states (SIDS) are among the economies most exposed to shifts in global trade patterns and least equipped to absorb the capital costs of technological transformation. For such nations, maritime trade is not peripheral — it is the primary artery of economic life. Industry observers have long cautioned that the digitisation of shipping, while broadly beneficial, risks creating a two-tier global fleet: technologically advanced vessels operating under flags of major maritime nations, and older, less efficient tonnage concentrated among developing-world operators. The Ayre Think Tank's study adds an important macro-economic dimension to this debate, framing AI adoption not merely as a question of operational efficiency but as a potential driver of structural inequality in global trade capacity. As international bodies including the International Maritime Organization (IMO) continue to develop frameworks around maritime autonomous systems and digital shipping standards, pressure may grow for provisions that ensure developing nations are not left behind in the AI transition. The full findings of the Ayre Think Tank report are available via PR Newswire.