The Asian Development Bank has announced a new digital transformation strategy to help countries across Asia and the Pacific harness artificial intelligence and digital technologies while protecting communities from emerging digital risks.
The strategy, titled Digital Transformation for Development: Advancing Inclusion, Security, and Innovation, will guide ADB’s digital work from 2026 to 2030. It comes at a time when governments across the region are working to keep pace with rapid technological change and the growing role of artificial intelligence in economic development, public services, job creation, resilience, and social inclusion.
ADB President Masato Kanda said a major technological wave is spreading across Asia and the Pacific, creating both opportunities and risks. He emphasized that the region can use this transformation to drive greater prosperity, but only if digital progress is managed in a way that benefits people who need support the most.
A key part of ADB’s approach is its USD 20 billion Asia-Pacific Digital Highway initiative. The initiative is designed to expand digital infrastructure, improve connectivity, and increase access across the region. By investing in the foundations of digital transformation, ADB aims to help countries build stronger, more inclusive, and more resilient digital economies.
The new digital strategy will support countries in expanding digital connectivity, developing digital skills, strengthening cybersecurity, improving privacy protections, enhancing data governance, and adopting artificial intelligence responsibly. These areas are becoming increasingly important as digital systems shape how governments deliver services, how businesses compete, and how citizens access opportunities.
ADB will work with countries to identify gaps in their digital readiness and design investments and reforms that match national needs. This approach recognizes that countries across Asia and the Pacific have different levels of infrastructure, regulatory capacity, technical skills, and digital inclusion. Tailored support will be important to ensure that digital transformation does not widen existing inequalities.
The strategy also focuses on underserved communities. ADB aims to ensure that digital technologies reach people who may otherwise be excluded from the benefits of innovation, including rural populations, low-income communities, women, small businesses, and vulnerable groups. Expanding access to digital tools and connectivity can help improve education, healthcare, financial inclusion, public services, and livelihood opportunities.
Cybersecurity and privacy protections are also central to the strategy. As governments and businesses rely more heavily on digital systems, they face growing risks from cyber threats, data breaches, misinformation, and misuse of technology. ADB’s support will help countries build more secure and interoperable systems that can protect users while enabling innovation.
Responsible use of artificial intelligence is another major priority. AI has the potential to improve public administration, strengthen disaster response, support climate resilience, increase productivity, and improve decision-making. At the same time, it can create risks related to bias, exclusion, privacy, accountability, and labour market disruption. ADB’s strategy seeks to help countries use AI in ways that are safe, inclusive, and aligned with development goals.
The strategy also highlights the importance of partnerships. ADB will bring together governments, companies, and development partners to mobilize financing, share technical expertise, and expand access to practical digital solutions. Collaboration will be essential because digital transformation requires investment, policy reform, technical knowledge, and strong institutions.
ADB’s role as a multilateral development bank gives it a platform to support countries in building digital capacity at scale. Through innovative financial tools and strategic partnerships, the bank aims to help its members strengthen infrastructure, improve governance, and prepare for the next phase of technological change.
The launch of the 2026–2030 digital transformation strategy reflects the growing importance of digital technologies in regional development. Across Asia and the Pacific, countries are increasingly using technology to modernize public services, support economic competitiveness, improve resilience, and expand inclusion. However, without strong safeguards and targeted investment, digital progress can leave some communities behind.
ADB’s new strategy aims to ensure that artificial intelligence and digital transformation are used as tools for inclusive and sustainable growth. By supporting connectivity, skills, cybersecurity, data governance, and responsible AI, the bank is positioning itself to help countries manage the opportunities and challenges of the digital era.
As Asia and the Pacific continue to experience rapid technological change, ADB’s strategy provides a framework for turning digital disruption into development progress. The focus on inclusion, security, and innovation shows that the future of digital transformation will depend not only on technology itself, but also on how governments and institutions use it to improve lives, reduce risks, and build more resilient economies.
