AI Optimism Surges in Asia, Unlike in the U.S.
A Stanford HCAI survey finds U.S. enthusiasm for AI lagging far behind Asia, with only 38% of Americans saying AI products excite them versus 84% in China and roughly 80% in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. Trust in government to regulate AI is also low in the U.S. at 31%, compared with 81% in Singapore. The study links higher optimism and institutional trust to faster adoption – Singapore recorded 61% AI uptake versus 28% in the U.S. during the second half of 2023. Meanwhile, the U.S. faces talent outflows and resistance to data‑center projects, underscoring a widening global divide.
The Global Edtech Boom Is Fading as Investors Look Elsewhere
The pandemic‑driven edtech surge peaked at $16.7 billion in 2021, but venture capital has slumped to under $3 billion by 2025. Funding sources remain dominated by U.S. investors, while the number of new edtech founders fell dramatically to 645 in 2025 from...
Deadly Deepfakes: A Survival Guide for the Age of Algorithmic War
Artificial intelligence is now a dual‑edged weapon in modern conflicts, powering both precision targeting and the rapid creation of deepfake footage. In the recent U.S.–Israel confrontation over Iran, AI‑generated videos of burning landmarks and missile strikes circulated widely, blurring reality...
Why AI Alone Cannot Fix Social Problems
Artificial intelligence is increasingly touted as a cure‑all for social challenges, but recent field studies reveal that its impact hinges on the surrounding human infrastructure. Deployments of tools like Shiksha Copilot, FarmerChat, and CataractBot succeeded only where schools, farms, or...
Netflix’s AI Deal Puts the Global VFX Workforce at Risk
Netflix acquired AI firm InterPositive, founded by Ben Affleck, to automate color grading, relighting and continuity fixes traditionally done by VFX artists. The technology will be kept in‑house, giving Netflix a proprietary edge while threatening thousands of entry‑level jobs across...
Bangladesh’s Gig Workers Are Stuck in Gas Lines as Iran-U.S. War Strains Fuel Supply
Bangladesh’s reliance on imported fuel has been hit by the Israel‑U.S. war with Iran, triggering severe shortages in Dhaka. Ride‑hailing and delivery drivers are forced to queue for hours, buying rationed diesel worth about $4 per motorcycle. Earnings have slashed...
AI Is About to Make the Global E-Waste Crisis Much Worse
The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence is set to dramatically increase global electronic waste, potentially adding 1.2‑5 million metric tons by 2030. India, the world’s third‑largest e‑waste producer, generated nearly 2 million tons in 2024—a 73% rise over five years, with about...
The Mexican Security Company with a $1.27 Billion Surveillance Empire
Grupo Seguritech, founded in 1995 as a modest alarm‑system firm, has evolved into Mexico’s $1.27 billion surveillance powerhouse. The company now runs 52 active projects, employs over 2,200 specialists, and operates a sprawling portfolio of 27 subsidiaries plus three overseas branches....
Voice Actors Fight to Save Their Livelihoods and Local Cultures From Hollywood’s AI Push
Hollywood studios are rapidly adopting AI‑generated dubbing, endangering the livelihoods of more than 2 million voice‑over professionals worldwide. In Brazil, veteran dubber Fabio Azevedo leads a push for legal safeguards, echoing similar movements in Mexico, South Korea, and India. While AI...
RedNote Chases U.S. Expansion After Its “TikTok Refugee” Moment Fades
RedNote, the Chinese‑origin "little red book" app with 300 million monthly users, is launching a U.S. expansion by opening offices in Palo Alto and New York, hiring talent, and staging university‑focused events. It has also rolled out RedShop, a cross‑border marketplace featuring...
In Its Push to Become Big Tech’s Data Center Hub, India Is Overlooking Local Resistance
India has rolled out a 20‑year tax holiday to lure U.S. cloud giants such as Google, Microsoft, Amazon and Meta to build multibillion‑dollar data‑center campuses. The incentive package, including up to $2.4 billion in subsidies for Google’s $15 billion Andhra Pradesh project,...
Chinese Entrepreneurs Should Go Global Before They Go Viral
Chinese AI startup Manus, known for an AI assistant that builds websites and conducts research, was acquired by Meta for over $2 billion after moving its headquarters to Singapore and shutting down Chinese operations. The deal, once hailed as a breakthrough...
War in the Gulf Could Tilt the Cloud Race Toward China
Iranian drone attacks on three AWS data centers in the UAE and Bahrain in March disrupted banking, fintech and ride‑hailing services, marking the first confirmed strike on a hyperscale cloud provider. The incident has intensified calls for multi‑cloud strategies, highlighted...
India’s Frugal AI Models Are a Blueprint for Resource-Strapped Nations
India is pioneering a frugal, sovereign AI strategy that emphasizes lightweight models capable of running on low‑end smartphones and low‑bandwidth networks. Initiatives such as AI4Bharat and startups like Sarvam AI and Krutrim are developing multilingual large language models tailored to...
“Data Embassies” And Safeguarding Digital Assets During Wartime
Drone strikes on Amazon Web Services facilities in the Persian Gulf and Iran’s declaration of major AI firms as legitimate targets have highlighted the vulnerability of AI‑driven data centers in conflict zones. The attacks underscore the strategic risk of housing...