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The Future Investment Initiative (FII) Institute, in collaboration with Accenture, on Tuesday unveiled a research report on AI investment, entitled “Rebalancing Intelligence: How the Next Wave of AI Investment is Set to Flow South.” 

The report was launched at FII9, a global conference taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, convening the world’s most influential leaders to set investment agenda. 

After years of concentration in the Global North, investors now predict a significant rebalancing of AI capital flows towards emerging markets, a major shift in investor focus. 

The new data show that 87% of global investors plan to increase AI investments in the Global South within the next two years, with India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East identified as most likely destinations. 

The study surveyed 250 C-suite leaders from private equity firms (40%), venture capital firms (40%), and corporate venture units of large enterprises (20%) across 13 countries in the Global North, said FII. It also included 15 in-depth interviews with senior investors from leading PE, VC, and sovereign wealth funds. 

Despite the Global South representing nearly half the world’s population and a quarter of global economic growth, it currently attracts only 28% of AI-related foreign direct investment, a fraction of the $548 billion invested globally over the past two years. There are only nine AI unicorns in the Global South, compared with 305 in the North. 

AI dominates this year’s FII9 agenda, with over a third of panels and speakers exploring its potential. From tech and chip CEOs to sovereign funds, global investors and policymakers, FII9 is discussing the future of AI capital flows. 

“OpenAI’s recent $1 trillion chip investment commitment shows the scale of transformation ahead,” said Richard Attias, CEO of FII Institute. “We must ensure this wave lifts all boats. Bridging the AI investment divide is an economic opportunity and a moral imperative. Innovation must be a driver of shared global prosperity.” 

"We are excited to join FII in launching this insightful report, which provides a unique and timely opportunity for global business leaders to learn about the untapped potential of AI to unlock growth in the Global South,” said Julie Sweet, Chair and CEO, Accenture. “AI is much more than a technology – it’s a catalyst for reinvention – and investment in talent, infrastructure and local ecosystems across these regions will help ensure that AI becomes a force for shared prosperity and shape a future where innovation knows no borders." 

The report is the first major deliverable of AI Inclusive, an FII Institute initiative designed to accelerate AI growth in emerging markets by mobilising investment, supporting startups, and deploying adaptable governance tools.