A selection of world thoughts – about AI – for global citizens.
What are the global perspectives on AI? Here, you will find a selection of articles from top newspapers, research publications, and leading magazines from around the world, exploring AI’s impact on language, culture, geopolitics, and economies. Our collection of local sources helps you understand the global landscape and navigate change through innovative ideas, keeping you informed about what’s relevant in this constantly evolving field.
Most Read Articles in 2024
AI + BUSINESS
Reskilling in the age of AI
The upcoming changes will affect not only data scientists but all areas of business. Learn how to lead the entire company through this process, introducing five new paradigms for leaders and those who want to reposition themselves.
Read the full article on the Harvard Business Review
AI + CULTURE
How Culture Shapes What People Want from AI
Stanford researchers found that cultural models of agency influence what people want from AI, shaping perceptions of the ideal AI based on cultural contexts. Explore how cultural frameworks affect our understanding and expectations of AI.
Read the full paper on HAI Stanford
AI + INNOVATION
The AI project pushing local languages to replace French in Mali’s schools
In 2023, as Mali replaced French with Bambara, AI played a key role in the post-colonial transition and Indigenous language empowerment. Explore how local schools and cultural centers are using innovation to shape the country’s future.
Read the full article on Rest of the World
LANGUAGE INSIGHT
Can You lose your Native Tongue?
Speaking multiple languages isn’t about coexistence—each competes for attention. Madeleine Schwartz explores the complexities of a bilingual mind, explaining how, in some cases, it’s possible to learn languages yet also lose them.
Read the full article on The New York Times
SCIENCE SPOTLIGHT
From Local to Global: A Graph RAG Approach to Query-Focused Summarization
Humans thrive in communities of related individuals, communities which interact in many ways to compose the complex human society. Researchers from Microsoft apply this peculiar perspective to banks of specialized knowledge and show how LLMs can build and benefit from intricate graphs of knowledge, weaving together relations between individual atomic concepts discovered in the data.
Discover the full lecture here
World News for Global Citizens
Imminent Newsletter
A selection of world news and monthly insights to better understand cultural and linguistic contexts worldwide and grasp the full picture.
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Cinquanta sfumature di nero
In the eyes of the world, the Sudanese, who inhabit a vast country with numerous tribes and ethnic groups, are all black. The state’s name, Sudan, is the plural form of the Arabic word ‘aswad’, meaning ‘black’.
However, Sudanese people rarely use this term to describe skin color. The only thing black here is the eggplant! In fact, the babaganoush – a cream made from eggplants – is known as ‘black salad’ in Sudan. When discussing skin color, however, fifty shades of black are employed.
Read the full article on Internazionale
What Does a Translator Do?
Imagine a journey through a mosaic of cultures, where each decision opens up a new path and there are no rules limiting exploration. This is the fertile ground in which translation operates, a creative dance that transcends the simple choice between words. This article explores the metamorphosis of the translator’s role from understated wordsmith to vital player in the historical and cultural narrative of the present. In an age dominated by automated translations, this perspective highlights the irreplaceable value of the human touch in keeping the communicative “force” of a work intact.
Read the full article on the New Yorker
Please Pardon My Language
This graphic novel delves into the unique and fascinating relationship between us and language. What drives our language choices? How do these choices evolve, shaped by the languages we speak and the lives we lead?
Read the full graphic novel on New Yorker
Innovating with generative AI to better understand community needs
Sivar+, an invaluable tool for seamlessly accessing information shared by communities, is the new genAI model made by UNHCR in El Salvador. In fact, the organization made 122focus groups discussions with displaced communities in the country and obtained thousands of unstructured information. With the transcription of these discussions they’re able to train a new precise chatbot, which is able to give accurate responses about this territory need based on the answers of the communities.
Read the full article on Medium
Women to surpass men in gen AI use by 2025, research predicts
Deloitte forecasts women will soon outpace men in generative AI adoption, fueled by a remarkable surge in usage. Yet trust issues, from data security fears to biases in male-dominated AI fields, remain hurdles. While women excel in AI-driven tasks, their reluctance to upgrade devices for AI features poses a challenge for tech firms—especially given their influence over 85% of consumer spending.
Read the full article on ZDNet
Platform Power in AI
Examining the growing power of Amazon, Microsoft, and Google in AI through their cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud), our open-access article of the week highlights how these companies shape the AI landscape, complicating regulation and creating dependencies for developers.
Read the full article on Internet Policy Review
‘Quantum Memory’ Proves Exponentially Powerful
Quantum memory, a breakthrough in quantum computing, promises to revolutionize the processing and modeling of complex quantum systems. Traditional approaches face limitations due to Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, requiring iterative strategies and machine learning for system reconstruction. Quantum computers, using quantum memory instead of classical, could drastically reduce data storage needs, offering richer, more precise representations. Two groundbreaking studies—one from Harvard and the other from Google Quantum AI—show how quantum memory could significantly reduce resources required, bringing us closer to practical quantum applications in physics.
Read the full article on Quanta Magazine
Enter the ‘Whisperverse’: How AI voice agents will guide us through our days
The “Whisperverse” introduces a future of AI-powered voice assistants embedded in wearable tech, offering personalized guidance, social tips, and real-world context enhancement. Combining AI and AR, these tools promise transformative potential but spark concerns over privacy, manipulation, and ethical boundaries. As we move toward AI “superpowers,” the challenge lies in ensuring user empowerment and protection over unchecked commercialization.
Read the full article on Venture Beat
‘A pivotal moment in neuroscience’: Scientists finally discover the brain cells that make you unique
Scientists have long been intrigued by the immense complexity of the human brain. Now, an international team of researchers has mapped its cellular composition, uncovering over 3,000 distinct cell types, including hundreds previously unknown.
Read the full article on BBC Science Focus
Collaborating with AI. How humans and machines can best work together
The concept of working with artificial intelligence (AI) is explored through a series of articles and sponsored content, all focused on how organizations can effectively integrate AI into their operations. This involves leveraging AI to improve budgeting, enhance skills, foster communication, and drive growth. Researchers emphasize that while AI excels at specific tasks like budgeting, it faces challenges in others, urging companies to strike a balance in harnessing AI’s potential.
Read the full article on Harvard Business Review
GenAI suffers from data overload, so companies should focus on smaller, specific goals
Generative AI faces a critical challenge: managing data overload. At TechCrunch Disrupt 2024, experts like Chet Kapoor, Vanessa Larco, and George Fraser argued for a shift toward small-scale, focused goals over ambitious scaling. Their insights reveal why companies must prioritize solving current problems with targeted strategies, embracing what Kapoor calls the “Angry Birds era” of AI—an experimental phase laying the groundwork for future breakthroughs.
Read the full article on TechCrunch
How the Next President Will Determine the Future of AI
The 2024 U.S. presidential election could shape AI policy, with Kamala Harris and Donald Trump both backing innovation but differing on regulatory approaches. Harris advocates safeguards, while Trump focuses on innovation without clear regulations. Discover how their AI stances may impact America’s tech future.
Read the full article on Scientific American
