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Making AI Work for Africa: Why Google Must Go Local with its New Research Center in Ghana
In June, Google announced that it would open an Artificial Intelligence (AI) research center in Accra, Ghana later this year – one more sign of Africa’s vast untapped potential for AI innovation. But since developing countries will be hit hardest by manufacturing job losses caused by AI-fueled automation, Google must avoid “merely creating an African outpost for its pre-existing research efforts,” says Ghanaian entrepreneur Timothy Kotin. He explores the transformation impact that companies like Google could make if they invest in regional talent to develop locally relevant AI solutions.
- Categories
- Technology
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Nobel winner Muhammad Yunus wants two financial systems—one for the rich and one for the poor
Last month, the 10-year-old US division of Grameen announced that it had provided more than $1 billion in loans to 106,000 women. Over the next decade, it plans to provide $1 billion in loans every year, and nearly double the number of branches, to 42.
- Categories
- Finance
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Press release: OPIC Commits $125 Million to Expand Access to Capital for Medium-Sized Companies in India
OPIC will contribute to a $700 million fund established by GPC to expand access to financing for growing companies in India operating in the healthcare, energy, technology, agricultural, and services sectors. By providing greater access to expansion capital, the OPIC-supported fund will help narrow the capital shortage that entrepreneurs and business owners face across India.
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- Investing
- Region
- South Asia
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Three Ways Inclusive Businesses Can Become More Customer-Centric
In any successful business, the customer always comes first. However, impact-focused enterprises often paint customers at the base of the pyramid with wide brush strokes, overlooking nuances in culture, location and literacy. Christian Jahn, Executive Director of the Inclusive Business Action Network, understands the desire to "help" poor people – but notes well-intended social entrepreneurs risk ignoring what their customers really want. Instead, Jahn recommends businesses develop a holistic view of customer needs, viewing them through a realistic lens for more meaningful impact.
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- Social Enterprise
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International aid saves 700 million lives but gains at risk: report
“The lives saved amount to twice the population of the United States,” said Gayle Smith, the ONE Campaign’s chief executive. “We’ve shown that we can do this, and to slow down – or step back – at this critical juncture would be to leave progress on the table.”
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- Health Care
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‘Fintech can transform Asia’s women entrepreneurs’
The ESCAP initiative, launched on 29 September on a side meeting during the 2018 UN General Assembly, viewed women’s entrepreneurship as key to economic growth and inclusion.
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- Finance
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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Strict parents and social stigma limit mobile use for girls in poor countries
Strict parenting and social disapproval are among factors that make teenage girls in developing countries significantly less likely than boys to own a mobile phone, researchers have found.
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- Technology, Telecommunications
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Viewpoint: China’s Role As The World’s Development Bank Cannot Be Ignored
China's far-reaching financing carries considerable risks — for China and the borrowers alike. Rather than welcoming China and helping it learn the hard lessons learned by others, the United States is mistakenly shunning Chinese development finance around the globe.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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