India’s preparations to host the India AI Impact Summit 2026 have accelerated, attracting strong global attention and highlighting the country’s growing influence in the artificial intelligence ecosystem. The Summit, scheduled from 16 to 20 February 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, will be the first global AI summit hosted in the Global South, marking a significant milestone […]
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India’s Tech Boom: AI, Data Centres, and Semiconductors on the Rise
The Union Budget 2026-27, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, sets a forward-looking framework to drive transformative growth in India’s electronics, information technology, and artificial intelligence sectors. The Budget introduces measures to strengthen AI data centres, semiconductor manufacturing, and IT services, positioning India as a global hub for digital infrastructure, innovation, and high-tech investments. AI […]
Generative AI in Education: Tips for Teachers and Students to Maximize Learning
Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has rapidly integrated into educational environments, transforming how students and teachers interact with learning. Since the release of ChatGPT in late 2022, students have been using chatbots for homework assistance, while teachers employ AI tools to design lesson plans. The technology’s accessibility and intuitive interface, which requires no prior coding or […]
AI vs Humans: Can Workers Compete and Thrive in the Automation Age?
Artificial intelligence is increasingly shaping both personal and professional spheres, making it impossible to ignore its impact. The United Nations has long advocated for a “people-first” approach, emphasizing that human oversight must remain central in AI decision-making. In 2024, UN Secretary-General António Guterres cautioned that the fate of humanity should never be entrusted entirely to […]
How AI is Shaping Education and the Future Workforce
The panel discussion highlighted that workforce readiness is now the critical factor in determining whether AI adoption drives growth, anxiety, or inequality within organizations. While access to AI technology is no longer the main barrier, employees often lack the skills, confidence, and guidance to use tools effectively, and executive nervousness can slow adoption. Skilling must […]
Boosting Trust in Healthcare AI: ICR-Led Initiative Receives Key Funding
The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), London, has been awarded a major Medical Research Council (MRC) grant to advance the use of sensitive medical imaging data for research. The nearly £400,000 award will fund the FIREDANSE project—Federated Infrastructure for digital pathology Reporting and Expert Data Annotation in a Secure Environment—developed in collaboration with The Royal […]
Youth Innovators Tackle Climate with AI Farming and Aquaculture Solutions
Ho Chi Minh City, 25 January 2026 – The Youth Digital Citizen Challenge (YDCC) 2025 Hackathon, under the theme “AI for Climate Action,” recognized innovative AI solutions addressing climate challenges in Viet Nam. Top prizes were awarded to projects focusing on salinity forecasting for farmers, smart disease detection in shrimp aquaculture, and low-emission fertilizer optimization. […]
East Asia’s AI-Ready Workforce: A Comparative Study on Reskilling
East Asia is a key driver of global economic and technological progress. While many of its economies lead in AI adoption and literacy, they are grappling with a shrinking workforce due to ageing populations and declining birth rates. To address this challenge, the AI Opportunity Fund: Asia-Pacific, led by AVPN with support from Google.org and […]
Syria: Restricted Access Resumes at Al Hol Camp as Security Worries Persist
The United Nations has confirmed that limited access has been restored to Syria’s Al Hol camp after days of disruption caused by security concerns. Briefing reporters in New York, UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, was able to enter the camp on Friday alongside Syrian government officials, re-establish contact with some […]
UN Raises Alarm Over Growing AI Risks to Children, From Deepfakes to Grooming
UN agencies are warning that artificial intelligence is rapidly amplifying threats to children, with new technologies being exploited for online grooming, deepfakes, cyberbullying and the spread of harmful content. According to Cosmas Zavazava of the International Telecommunication Union, children are increasingly targeted through AI tools that can analyse their online behaviour, emotions and interests, enabling […]
Can AI Turn the Tide? How Technology Is Fighting Forest Fires in Bhutan
A forest fire that broke out near Sangaygang in Thimphu on January 2, 2026, served as a stark reminder that Bhutan’s fire season has begun. While this particular blaze was contained, many others burn for days despite the courageous efforts of firefighters working with limited resources. Recent years have seen increasingly frequent and intense forest […]
AI in African Healthcare: Gates and OpenAI Launch Pilot Projects
The Gates Foundation and OpenAI have announced a $50 million pilot program aimed at advancing AI capabilities for healthcare in Africa. Named Horizon 1000, the initiative will provide funding, technology, and technical support to implement AI solutions in 1,000 primary healthcare clinics across the continent by 2028. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman emphasized that while AI […]
AI’s Role in Transforming the Future of Nuclear Energy
Global electricity demand is growing at an unprecedented pace, with projections indicating an increase of over 10,000 terawatt-hours by 2035, roughly equivalent to the current total consumption of all advanced economies. A major driver of this surge is artificial intelligence (AI), which relies heavily on data centers. A medium-sized data center consumes as much electricity […]
Mongolia’s AI Readiness Explored in UNDP’s “The Next Great Divergence” Report
Today, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Mongolia, in partnership with the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Communications, launched the “The Next Great Divergence” report and convened a high-level dialogue on Mongolia’s readiness for artificial intelligence (AI). The report, published by UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, highlights AI’s potential to […]
Entries open for AI Ready Asean Youth Challenge
Deadline: 27-Feb-2026 The AI Ready ASEAN Youth Challenge invites young people aged 18–35 from Southeast Asia to develop AI-driven solutions for social good, offering a USD 20,000 prize pool, national and regional awards, and a chance to present at the Regional Grand Finals in Singapore (May 2026). Applications are now open for the AI Ready […]
AI in Education: 193 Innovative Solutions Transforming Latin America and the Caribbean
AI is increasingly present in classrooms across Latin America and the Caribbean, being applied creatively to support learning rather than replace teachers. From literacy tools using speech recognition to platforms that personalize instruction, educators are leveraging AI to strengthen pedagogy and enhance student outcomes. A significant number of initiatives focus on inclusion, targeting students with […]
Global Agriculture Innovation: UAE Introduces AI Ecosystem for Climate Resilience
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has launched an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven ecosystem designed to help climate-vulnerable agricultural regions adapt to increasingly unpredictable weather patterns, reinforcing its goal of becoming a global hub for applied AI in climate and food security. The initiative, unveiled in Abu Dhabi, builds on the US$200 million UAE-Gates Foundation partnership announced […]
Malaysia: Johor Introduces AI Training Initiative to Upskill the Workforce
The Johor state government is advancing plans to build an innovation-driven workforce through a new collaboration that places artificial intelligence training at the core of its economic development strategy. A recently signed memorandum of understanding establishes a structured framework to develop local expertise in AI design, strengthen alignment with industry needs, and attract technology investment […]
Maryland Wins AI Funding to Modernize and Improve Public Services
Maryland has secured more than $2.6 million in grant funding over two years to support state agency projects that use artificial intelligence to reduce barriers and improve access to public services. The funding was awarded through the Public Benefit Innovation Fund of the Center for Civic Futures, which reviewed more than 400 applications from 45 […]
Beyond Funding: How Philanthropy Must Engage with AI
Artificial intelligence is often framed as a tool capable of faster, cheaper, and large-scale operations, making it particularly appealing to philanthropy. AI promises better targeting of welfare, insights from complex data, and new ways to reach historically underserved communities. However, Dr. Sarayu Natarajan, Founder of the Aapti Institute, emphasized at the Asia-Pacific Meeting on AI […]
