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GZERO Daily: the newsletter for people who love global politics

Sign up for our free newsletter to keep up with what’s going on around the world - and why it matters.

GZERO Daily: the newsletter for people who love global politics

GZERO Daily: the newsletter for people who love global politics

Sign up for our free newsletter to keep up with what’s going on around the world - and why it matters.

GZERO Daily: the newsletter for people who love global politics

GZERO Daily: the newsletter for people who love global politics

Sign up for our free newsletter to keep up with what’s going on around the world - and why it matters.

GZERO Daily: the newsletter for people who love global politics

GZERO Daily: the newsletter for people who love global politics

Sign up for our free newsletter to keep up with what’s going on around the world - and why it matters.

GZERO Daily: the newsletter for people who love global politics

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Want Africa to grow? Get people and businesses online: Africa expert

September 18, 2021

There's a big opportunity for African countries to take advantage of the pandemic — if they can get online. "Greater internet connectivity can accelerate growth in tremendous ways," says Eurasia Group's top Africa analyst Amaka Anku. One of them would be formalizing the informal sector, which is very large and hard to tax: "It's much easier if people are paying using digital payments," she explains, but governments also need to do their part by cutting red tape to encourage investment.

Anku weighed in during a Global Stage livestream conversation hosted by GZERO Media in partnership with Microsoft during the 76th UN General Assembly.

Learn more: Should internet be free for everyone? A Global Stage debate

From Your Site Articles

The fight to “connect every last person” to the internet - GZERO Media ›

amaka anku broadband microsoft africa internet equity eurasia group global stage africa expert free broadband low-income internet internet access business growth technology technology sector digital equity

More from Global Stage

Can we use AI to secure the world's digital future?

How do we ensure AI is safe, available to everyone, and enhancing productivity? It’s a big topic at this year’s UN General Assembly. That’s why GZERO’s Global Stage livestream brought together leading experts at the heart of the action for “Live from the United Nations: Securing our Digital Future,” an event produced in partnership between the Complex Risk Analytics Fund, or CRAF’d, and GZERO Media’s Global Stage series, sponsored by Microsoft.

Why true AI progress is dependent on collective engagement

AI’s impact on healthcare is expected to outpace education, according to Microsoft’s Brad Smith. AI is revolutionizing drug discovery and precision medicine, flowing naturally to doctors. But education evolves more slowly—tools alone aren't enough. It requires buy-in from teachers, students, and families. Smith emphasizes that while technology offers potential, true progress happens when people are brought along together on the journey, ensuring AI serves society.

How to protect elections in the age of AI

GZERO Media, on the ground at the 2024 Munich Security Conference, held a Global Stage discussion on Feb. 17 entitled “Protecting Elections in the Age of AI.” We spoke with Brad Smith, vice chair and president of Microsoft; Ian Bremmer, president and founder of Eurasia Group and GZERO Media; Fiona Hill, senior fellow for the Center on the United States and Europe at Brookings; Eva Maydell, an EU parliamentarian and a lead negotiator of the EU Chips Act and Artificial Intelligence Act; Kersti Kaljulaid, the former president of Estonia; with European correspondent Maria Tadeo moderating. These thought leaders and experts discussed the implications of the rapid rise of AI amid this historic election year.

Rebuilding post-election trust in the age of AI

In a GZERO Global Stage discussion at the 7th annual Paris Peace Forum, Teresa Hutson, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft, reflected on the anticipated impact of generative AI and deepfakes on global elections. Despite widespread concerns, she noted that deepfakes did not significantly alter electoral outcomes. Instead, Hutson highlighted a more subtle effect: the erosion of public trust in online information, a phenomenon she referred to as the "liar's dividend."

AI & Society

What impact will AI have on gender equality?

What impact will AI have on gender equality?