Nearly 1/3 of rural schools in parts of Sub-Saharan Africa lack reliable electricity, while more than two-thirds lack consistent internet access. This episode explores what developing countries need to turn AI’s potential into inclusive growth. Drawing on the World Development Report 2026, it examines why infrastructure, skills, data, and institutions matter—and how governments can act as enablers, users, and regulators of AI. Generated with AI using wondercraft.ai and guided by our experts. Read more at https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/wdr2026

Only 20 percent of monitored days met the WHO’s PM2.5 guideline—and children’s exposure varied sharply across cities, schools, homes, and commutes. This episode explores how personal sensors, GPS tracking, and socioeconomic data can reveal the hidden geography of air pollution. From paved school grounds that reduced exposure by 37.2 percent to the complex relationship between pollution and wealth, discover how more precise measurement can support cleaner and more equitable policies. Generated with AI using wondercraft.ai and guided by our experts. Read more at:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-39797-4

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-023-01254-x

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352186425005796

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanchi/article/PIIS2352-4642(23)00261-4/fulltext

For just $0.69 per student, a six-session program reached more than 2,000 schools in Indonesia. While it did not raise national exam scores, it strengthened students’ belief in effort, improved self-management habits, and created a more supportive classroom climate—especially in lower-performing schools. It also unexpectedly shifted teachers’ views of failure as a learning opportunity. This episode explores why education programs should be judged by more than test scores and how low-cost interventions can support more equitable classrooms.

Generated with AI using wondercraft.ai and guided by our experts.

Read more at https://documents.worldbank.org/en/publication/documents-reports/documentdetail/592601591155353057