Trends

World Bank urges developing countries to build small AI

The World Bank is urging developing countries to build 'small AI', specialised models that run on basic mobile phones with weak connectivity. Chief knowledge officer Paschal Donohoe says this could compress development that once took centuries into decades. He cited Indian farmers who need soil analysis in their own language. At the World Bank and IMF annual meetings in Bangkok, IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva warned that 40% of jobs worldwide could be augmented or eliminated by AI over time.

Why it matters: If you export to or source from developing markets, the World Bank argues low-cost AI in local languages could help your customers and suppliers. It says the tools must be adapted locally, and gives no timeline.

Source: The Guardian