Fodder cutters, commonly used in rural communities across countries such as India, Pakistan and Kenya, are powerful machines with rapidly spinning blades that pose serious safety risks. Accidents frequently result in severe injuries, including amputations of hands and arms. For many women, these injuries are life-altering. Everyday tasks such as harvesting crops, preparing food, or stitching embroidery suddenly become impossible, leading to loss of income, diminished independence, and, in many cases, social exclusion.
Until recently, advanced prosthetic solutions were largely inaccessible to low-income communities. However, locally developed artificial intelligence tools are beginning to change that reality. In Pakistan, Karachi-based Bioniks Technologies partnered with UN Women to design and deliver customized prosthetic limbs for women in Sindh province who had been injured by fodder cutters. By using technologies such as 3D modelling, digital scanning, and AI-driven design, the initiative produced lightweight, durable and intuitive bionic arms tailored to individual needs.
Beyond providing prosthetic devices, the collaboration also offered hands-on training, psychological support, and community awareness sessions focused on safety and injury prevention. According to Ayesha Zulfiqar, co-founder of Bioniks, the programme has enabled women to regain mobility, dignity and confidence, allowing many to return to embroidery and other income-generating activities. The initiative demonstrates how technology can restore not only physical capability but also hope and economic opportunity.
This project highlights the transformative potential of AI when it is accessible to innovators in the Global South. Expanding equitable access to AI is a key priority for the United Nations, which seeks to ensure that the technology is developed responsibly and benefits communities worldwide. The India AI Impact Summit, held in New Delhi from 16 to 20 February, marks the first major AI-focused event of its kind in the Global South. Building on previous global discussions on AI safety and action, the summit brings together policymakers, innovators and international leaders, including UN Secretary-General António Guterres and his Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies, Amandeep Gill.
In discussions ahead of the summit, Mr. Gill emphasized the urgency of addressing the growing “AI divide” between wealthy and developing economies, as well as disparities within countries. He warned that concentration of technological and economic power could leave some nations far behind, echoing past industrial revolutions. At the same time, he pointed to encouraging efforts in regions such as Southeast Asia, Africa and India, where governments are investing in capacity building and subsidising AI access for researchers and smaller enterprises. Although the summit is not a UN-led event, it represents an important step toward more inclusive and democratic governance of AI, with a strong focus on bridging gaps and building capacity across the Global South.
