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.
Finally! Accurate Mobile Network Coverage Maps Show Connectivity Reality
Most mobile coverage maps exaggerate service by using perfect circles around towers, ignoring terrain and population distribution. Vanu and FHI 360 created detailed, data-driven maps for Africa and Asia that reveal the true extent of connectivity gaps—such as 90,000 people in Harar, Ethiopia previously assumed “covered.” These precise maps enable operators to identify viable rural markets and prove that even small villages can be profitable with low-cost base stations and realistic subscriber models.