AI Diffusion: From Capability to Impact at Scale (UNGA)

AI Diffusion: From Capability to Impact at Scale is a two-hour, invitation-only workshop convened by AWS, EkStep Foundation, UNDP and Global Innovation Square during UNGA 2026. It will bring together senior leaders from government, philanthropy, multilateral institutions, technology, civil society and frontline organisations. AI is becoming more capable, accessible and affordable. Yet its benefits are not spreading at the same pace. Around the world, organisations are demonstrating how AI can improve learning, strengthen livelihoods, expand access to essential services and make public systems more responsive. However, many promising initiatives remain pilots. Technology alone is rarely the constraint. Approximately 30% of the challenge is building the capability. The other 70% is putting it to work within real institutions, communities and operating environments. Through real-world deployment journeys and facilitated working sessions, participants will explore what enables AI solutions to move from early success to sustained adoption. The discussion will focus on the practical know-how that is often missing from conventional technology conversations: building trust, adapting workflows, aligning stakeholders, establishing institutional ownership and translating learning across different contexts. The workshop will introduce an emerging approach to documenting this know-how as reusable pathways and micro-innovations. The opportunity is to help the next adopter begin with the benefit of previous experience, shortening the journey from capability to impact. Agenda Impact in action: Global examples of AI delivering meaningful social outcomes The diffusion challenge: Why capable solutions struggle to move beyond pilots What makes adoption work: The institutional, operational and ecosystem conditions required for scale Pathways for diffusion: How proven know-how can be documented, shared and adapted From discussion to action: Opportunities to contribute, adopt or enable a pathway Outcome The workshop will invite participants to identify how they can participate in a growing global effort to accelerate responsible AI adoption: The ambition is not simply to generate more AI pilots. It is to build the shared infrastructure and collective know-how needed for proven solutions to travel, adapt and create impact at scale.