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 leading newspapers, research publications, and in-depth 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.
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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Can you lose your native tongue?
In this article, Madeleine Schwartz analyzes the difficult nature of a bilingual mind and explains how in certain circumstances it’s possible not only to learn more than one language, but also lose them. Talking in multiple languages isn’t an equilibrium where they coexist. Every language tries to attract all the attention to itself, and many factors contribute to remembering or not that language.
Read the full article on The New York Times
The Māori saved their language from extinction. Here’s how.
In New Zealand, in the last 150 years many efforts were made to limit the use of indigenous languages in order to promote English. However, in the 1970s a movement took place which promoted the Maori languages at school. This initiative permitted the launch of a wide program of teaching and promoting culturally the indigenous languages nowadays, helping the preservation of these endangered languages.
Read the full article on National Geographic
When A.I. fails the language test, who is left out of the conversation?
A.I. technologies are tested on high resource languages such as English or Chinese, even if English first speakers are only the 5% of the world. We need to train languages also in local languages, to spread the use around the world and increase the pride of who we are.
Read the full article on New York Times
Are We Learning to Speak AI? The Growing Influence of Artificial Language on Human Communication
The increasing presence of AI language in our daily lives may lead to the emergence of new linguistic norms and conventions. As AI systems become more advanced and their outputs more human-like, we may begin to see the development of new forms of language that blend human and machine characteristics. This could result in the creation of new vocabulary, grammatical structures, and even entirely new languages that are optimized for human-machine communication. From a scientific perspective, the influence of AI language on human communication can be explained through the concept of linguistic accommodation.
Read the full article on Morocco World News
Chhattisgarh moves to offer primary education in 18 local languages, dialects
In Chhattisgarh, schools are planning to promote primary education in 18 local languages and dialects to motivate young people to attend. In this region, overall literacy is lower than the national average. This initiative is also a good way to preserve indigenous languages.
Read the full article on the Indian Express
The AI project pushing local languages to replace French in Mali’s schools
In 2023, French was declared to be no longer an official language in Mali, with a shift towards providing education in Bambara (the most widely spoken language in the country). There are several interesting elements at play: the role of AI in the post-colonial cultural transition of countries grappling with independence, AI in the empowerment of Indigenous languages (also exemplified by Brazil), a model based on the Western worldview of AI development, and the use of AI to ensure more efficient access to education worldwide.
Read the full article on Rest of the World
Why AI needs to learn new languages
AI’s most popular tool scores very highly (85%) when used in English but has far more difficulty when tested in other languages. This article delves into why AI must improve rapidly in other languages.
Read the full article on The Economist
English still rules the world, but that’s not necessarily OK. Is it time to curb its power?
In this article, our Imminent fellow Michele Gazzola focuses on linguistic justice and on the rule of English and how this is a blessing for many but a major disadvantage for many others.
Read the full article on The Guardian
Prenatal experience with languages shapes the brain
Infants quickly grasp language, yet the neural basis of their brain plasticity remains unclear. This study from the Univeristy of Padua reveals increased neural connectivity in newborns, especially when exposed to prenatal language, indicating early specialization for the native language.
Read the full study on ScienceAdvances
Could AI help cure the ‘downward spiral’ of human loneliness?
Starting from the Hollywood example of Her, where the protagonist falls in love with the voice of an artificial intelligence, this article examines the positive (and negative) effects of forming relationships with chatbots. As more and more people suffer from chronic loneliness, ChatGPT4 is investing in models increasingly capable of reading and responding to human emotions.
Read the full article on The Guardian
AI is already an environmental problem
The race to generative artificial intelligence started in 2022 with the launch of ChatGPT and since then the water and energy and consumption, as well as their carbon emissions, skyrocketed. Many of the biggest companies want to reach neutrality before 2030, but it’s very unlikely.
Read the full article on El Pais English
The Danger Of Superhuman AI Is Not What You Think
Modern generative AI is often described as “superhuman,” a term that misleadingly suggests AI possesses human-like consciousness and emotions. This rhetoric reduces human intelligence to mere computational efficiency, overshadowing our rich emotional and conscious experiences. The author argues that this ideology risks devaluing human uniqueness and emphasizes the need to resist such reductionist views. Historical resistance to industrial reductionism underscores the importance of preserving human dignity and autonomy.
Read the full article on Noēma Magazine
Elon Musk’s Starlink has connected an isolated tribe to the outside world — and divided it from within.
A report on the impact of the internet connection provided to the isolated Marubo tribe through Musk’s Starlink. It covers how it all started, what effects it is having on the community, and future perspectives on connectivity and indigenous communities in the Amazon Rainforest.
Read the full article on the The New York Times
Today’s colonial data grab is deepening global inequalities
Drawing a parallel between Big Tech’s extraction of data and the colonial extraction of natural resources, our essay of the week explores the rise of “data colonialism” and how to fight back.
Read the full essay by Nick Couldry, Ulises A. Mejias
Colombia’s Wayúu people live on land rich in resources. So why are their children dying of hunger?
This report is about the living situation of Indigenous communities in Colombia. Due to a lack of water and malnutrition, these communities experience many deaths in their families. However, the problem isn’t insufficient resources – it’s corruption in the organizations who should be helping them.
Read the full article on The Guardian
The man who turned his dead father into a chatbot
A highly lucrative new frontier is emerging for AI: the creation of avatars or chatbots of our loved ones, which remain with us even after their death. This is the case with James Vlahos’s father and the South Korean company DeepBrain AI. What will the consequences be for how we as humans experience grief?
Read the full article on the BBC
Black Box: a new podcast series about AI and us
A podcast series that connects stories from everyday life through one common denominator: the use of artificial intelligence.
Listen to Black Box on the The Guardian
Non-White American Parents Are Embracing AI Faster Than White Ones
AI is disrupting the digital-divide narrative, mostly when it comes to personal use. While 72% of white parents are using AI, 80% of Black and 84% of Hispanic parents say they use it. AI is changing the life of Black parents: a specific case shows how it can help with attention-deficit diagnosis and school-related issues. The key lies in the fact that AI is accessible for free through smartphones, which lower-income families use more than laptops. There is also a crucial cultural factor: white families are more bothered by their children using technology than Hispanic and Black families, who need to find a way to build a better life for their children when it comes to tutoring at school.
Read the full article on The Economist
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff calls artificial intelligence a ‘new human right’ in 2019
Five years ago, Marc Benioff stated that AI was going to be a ‘new human right’ that everyone should have access to. Nowadays, his claim is starting to make more sense.
Read the full article on Business Insider
In the age of misinformation, who holds the power to categorize the ‘truth’?
In this article author Mohamed Suliman focuses on one of the problems that characterize modern society: disinformation.
Read the full article on Global Voices
Teaching with AI
In an attempt to educate teachers about the existence of AI tools that students might use, OpenAI has prepared a guide for educators to help them use ChatGPT with their students.
Read the guide on OpenAI
How to regulate AI
AI offers opportunities but also potential dangers. In this podcast episode, sociologist Alondra Nelson focuses on the Biden administration’s efforts to draft regulations for AI and its applications.
Listen to the Foreign Policy podcast here
A number system invented by Inuit schoolchildren will make its Silicon Valley debut
Mathematics is often defined as the “universal language.” These schoolchildren have brought to life a new dialect.
Read the full article on Scientific American
‘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
Putting Data Centers in Space Could Reduce Their Carbon Footprint, European Study Finds
Due to the environmental impact of AI, the European Union founded a study about the footprint of Earth-based data centers compared to Space-based ones. The study reveals that creating data centers in space can reduce the environmental impact of AI, and still can produce profit.
Read the full article on Wall Street Journal
AI-Driven Behavior Change Could Transform Health Care
Sam Altman – founder of ChatGPT – is promoting a new hyper personalized AI model which can help you to embrace a healthier lifestyle. In a world where more and more people suffer from chronic diseases, AI could democratize well-being with a personal tutor which helps you day by day to make the right decisions for your physical and emotional health.
Read the full article on Time
Three ways AI is changing the 2024 Olympics for athletes and fans
In these Olympic games for the first time in history AI technologies are going to be widely used. This new technology will change many things both for athletes and viewers. From digital assistants to control athletes performances and routines, Paris Olympics are a good example of the importance of AI in diverse contexts.
Read the full article on Nature
We Asked AI to Take Us on a Tour of our cities. It Was Chaos.
Littlefoot is an AI powered local discovery chatbot that can generate experiences in 161 cities around the world. Two Wired’s reporters tried to plan a perfect day in their own cities, London and New York, under 100$. The results weren’t as expected.
Read the full article on Wired
AI Needs Enormous Computing Power. Could Light-Based Chips Help?
The International Energy Agency forecasts that AI will consume ten times more power in 2026 than in 2023, with data centers using as much energy as the entire nation of Japan. To address this, optical computers, which use photons instead of electrons, could provide a more efficient option for AI tasks. This problem may have an unexpected solution: light-based chips. This article analyzes the pros and challenges of the new technology.
Read the full article on Quanta Magazine
The UAE Is on a Mission to Become an AI Power
An in-depth analysis of the UAE’s journey to becoming an AI power. Since it nominated the world’s first AI minister in 2017, the country has improved its technological assets and international partnerships (especially in the Global South). After the first Arabic open source model, the country wants to open up to the semiconductor market. It aims to find the best international scientists to work on UAE developments. It is interesting to note that the UAE has a very proactive and positive approach to these technologies, since they lead to economic diversification and social progress.
Read the full article on Time
An AI-based second opinion service could improve clinical decision-making today
A potential application of AI in medicine today: after an initial diagnosis, the doctor consults systems based on large language models (LLMs) to confirm the diagnosis or improve its precision.
Read the full article on STAT
Integrating AI into Products and Teams — with Disheng Qiu (Translated)
In this podcast episode, Disheng Qiu, VP of Engineering at Translated, delves into the challenges and costs of fine-tuning AI models, how to marry cutting-edge research and consumer products, the role of AI in enhancing productivity, and the Translated model, which focuses on humans-in-the-loop and continuous improvement.
Listen to the Refactoring podcast
The digitalization of development
Major ministries and offices are increasingly relying on digital technologies and artificial intelligence. The perspective of balancing the dignity of human labor with digitalization is interesting; technology enhances human well-being (a very topical debate). “The process of digital transformation is no longer a matter of entertainment; it has become a lifeboat, and everyone must get on board, or they will find themselves outside the territorial boundaries of life’s ports.” In addition to the necessity of digitalization itself, there is a comment on the importance of familiarizing communities with these new technologies.
Read the full article on Al Sabah
What do a leafless tree, a fingerprint, and a harp have in common?
Alphabets represent a finite, standardized means of communication. The different emoji categories available on our keyboards have reached or are about to reach the same level of completeness as a regular alphabet. So what are the criteria to add more?
Find out in this article on Unicode
The sounds of invisible worlds
As with the invention of the microscope, the possibility of listening to sounds never heard before through the latest technologies has led to new discoveries.
Read the full article on Noēma Magazine
Robot trained to read braille at twice the speed of humans
A robot has been trained to read braille at the University of Cambridge, and it does so twice as fast as an average human and with a 90% accuracy rate.
Read the full article on Science Daily
Running up that hill: Creativity, AI, and the human pursuit of uphill thinking
Vice President of Design and AI, John Maeda discusses key insights from his Design in Tech Report, reflects on the principles of designing with artificial intelligence, and advocates for embracing uphill thinking in a world that often prioritizes shortcuts.
Read the full article on Shortcut
AGI will not happen in your lifetime
An interesting discussion between cognitive scientist and psychologys Gary Marcus and software engineer Grady Booch discuss whether Artificial General Intelligence will be reached in the near future.
Read the full article on Substack
Artificial General Intelligence is already here
In this essay, authors Blaise Agüera y Arcas and Peter Norvig define AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) and argue that current applications of large language models already constitute examples of it.
Read the full article in Noēma Magazine
Visualizing AI
What does AI look like? DeepMind has asked 13 international artists to represent AI through visual arts pieces influenced by their conversations with scientists, engineers and ethicists.
Read more about it on DeepMind
Generative AI exists because of the Transformer
A useful article that provides a simple introduction to how LLMs work, a recommendable read for anyone that wants to learn more about this new technology.
Read the full article on the Financial Times
Meet Aleph Alpha, Europe’s answer to OpenAI
The European Union wants its own AI, and the German startup might be its best option. This could ease the regulatory process as the European bloc would be controlling “in-house” technologies – just one of several reasons why many in Europe are rooting for Aleph Alpha.
Read the full article on Wired
Revolutionary Mathematics: Artificial Intelligence, statistics, and the logic of capitalism
A podcast episode that focuses on the statistical models underpinning AI and financial systems and analyzes their potential to achieve significant goals.
Listen to The Analysis News
AI is killing the old web, and the new web struggles to be born
The old web was already dying with the advent of apps and content that significantly lowered the attention span on selected web pages, but now AI is overwhelming the internet’s capacity to scale. James Vincent starts a crucial discussion.
Read the full article on The Verge
AI is a lot of work
Artificial Intelligence learns by finding patterns in data, but before that, this data must be put in order by humans, the workforce behind the machines. In this article, Josh Dzieza dives into the tedious work that lies behind enabling machines by themselves.
Read the full article on Intelligencer
OpenAI’s new tool attempts to explain language models’ behaviors
How do the LLM behind AI behave and why? It’s a question that has often remained unanswered. OpenAI is in the process of developing a tool that explains why a model reacts in a particular way.
Read the full article on TechCrunch
Inside the secret list of websites that make AI like ChatGPT sound smart
In the last few months, chatbots have exploded in popularity due to their high level of sophistication and precision when it comes to information. But where does this information come from?
Read the full article on The Washington Post
Big Tech teches AI
In this paper, Inga Luchs and her colleagues reveal how online machine learning courses offered by Google and IBM help consolidare the companies’ power. These big players stay ahead of the game by recruiting the top talents they teach, securing their future in the industry.
Read the paper on Sage Journals
Robots sacked, screening shut down: a new movement of luddites is rising against AI
As generative AI is more and more present in our lives and industry, a new movement “anti AI” is rising. They define themselves as “luddites” but they’re not rebelling, they’re looking for a compromise where AI is regulated. More and more industries, such as Lego or Nintendo, are walkbacking from their most innovative AI projects due to these protests.
Read the full article on The Guardian
La Corsa Al Ribasso del Commercio Online
Shein and Temu are changing the way ecommerce is done internationally. Amazon is trying its best to face this competition, focusing on the fact that the asiatic competitors can afford these low prices thanks to the little respect of the environment and the workers. Is this the right answer to make ecommerce sustainable? How much longer will we be able to play on the downside?
Read the full article on Internazionale
China deploys censors to create socialist AI
The Beijing government is testing artificial intelligence companies’ LLM to ensure their systems “embody socialist core values”. The effort involves batch-testing an LLM’s responses to a litany of questions with many of them related to China’s political sensitivities and its President Xi Jinping.
Read the full article on Financial Times
Do you really need a chief artificial intelligence officer?
This article discusses how companies should adjust their internal organization to optimize the potential of artificial intelligence. Specifically, a new professional role is emerging, the Chief AI Officer, and it’s well suited to our business target.
Read the full article on Forbes
Interviews with ChatGPT
Photographer Barbara Zanon is experimenting with a series of conversations with AI software. The first is with ChatGPT and delves into a major theme: creativity.
Read the full article on Talks about AI
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
What the hell is Elon Musk doing at X? 5 theories of the case
In October 2022 Elon Musk acquired Twitter and turned it into X. Since then the social media platform has been in chaos. In this article, author John Hermann tries to make sense of what Musk is seeking to achieve.
Read the full article on The Intelligencer
Open (for business): Big tech, concentrated power and the political economy of OpenAI
This paper discusses the ambiguity surrounding “open” and “open source” in AI, emphasizing that true openness often falls short, limiting democratic access and competition.
Read the full paper on Social Science Research Network
Paying ourselves to decarbonize
When decarbonization occurs, will petrostates be left alone to face an inevitable crisis? This article analyzes the current global structure of the world economy and tells us why it is necessary to support the petrostates in this transition.
Read the full article on Noēma Magazine
Is generative AI really ready for the enterprise?
An interesting piece that dives into the uses of generative AI as a tool for enterprises. A matter of time with some adjustments, according to author Ron Miller.
Read the full article on TechCrunch
