Insights From the Edge
The Hyper-Promise of Artificial Intelligence for Hyper-Personalization
The article argues for AI-driven hyper-personalization in international development: shift from broad, program-level design to individual-level investments guided by data (especially CDRs) and algorithms. Benefits include greater recipient autonomy, tighter donor–beneficiary feedback loops, and use of data-portability tools (e.g., Data Transfer Project, digi.me). It also lists ethical/legal risks—bias, privacy, consent, coercion, gaming—and urges the sector to skill up with private-sector partners and start piloting now.
On the Edge of Edge: Why Advancements in Edge Computing Could Shift the Paradigm for Remote Connectivity, Internet of Things and Digital Development
The article argues that edge computing—servers placed on or near towers that store/process data locally—can transform connectivity and IoT in remote markets by delivering low-latency content (often via Wi-Fi) at far lower cost. It surveys momentum and hurdles: GSMA’s Telco Edge Cloud search for new revenue models, N50’s Zambia pilot caching local-language content, open-source Magma, ICANN’s “hyperlocal” work, LEO satellites as complements, and encryption limits on caching. The takeaway: start designing edge-based services now to reach underserved users affordably.