The World Bank is calling on developing countries to create and adopt 'small AI' models that can operate on mobile phones with limited connectivity, arguing the technology could transform economic prospects across emerging economies. Paschal Donohoe, the World Bank's chief knowledge officer, said such models, which use specialised training for specific purposes, could compress development timescales from centuries to decades.
Donohoe highlighted how small AI could address practical challenges in developing nations. He cited the example of Indian farmers using the World Bank's AgriConnect scheme who needed soil analysis in their local language. 'There's not going to be enough scientists and agricultural experts to do that for every small farm in India,' Donohoe said, noting that small AI available on phones could fill this gap.
However, significant barriers to adoption remain. The World Bank's annual development report, published in August, revealed that almost a third of rural schools in sub-Saharan Africa lack electricity and more than two-thirds do not have consistent internet connections. Kristalina Georgieva, the International Monetary Fund's managing director, emphasised that governments must provide basic infrastructure, digital access and protections against bad actors for AI adoption to succeed.
Georgieva warned that artificial intelligence could augment or eliminate 40 per cent of jobs worldwide, with young people entering the labour market facing particular disruption. The World Bank has mobilised $120bn of private capital in the past year using guarantees and financial instruments, Donohoe said, as many countries cut aid budgets.