The Next Billion Users

Creative Next: AI Automation at Work

How does the rest of the world use technology? Author of The Next Billion Users Payal Arora joins Dirk and Jon to explore the use of AI and digital tech in diverse places such as India, China, Africa, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia.

Payal Arora, author of The Next Billion Users and Associate Professor, Department of Media and Communication at Erasmus University Rotterdam, joins Dirk and Jon to share her research on the ways emerging technologies are used in developing nations. From teenagers in India to the Chinese state to gangsters in Brazil to Imams in Saudi Arabia, we get an inside look at the current and future impact of technology in important places around the world.

Memorable Quotes

"Look at India with a biometric identities scheme, which is the historically largest scheme in the world, which collects 1.2 billion fingerprints, iris scans, and links that with your background information, your bank information, your social media... And all this provides and reinforces your identity."

"We need to also understand that we can only celebrate automation when we have strong safety nets and strong security systems that allow us to reimagine our ways of living."

"If you want to win an election in India or any of the developing countries, you need to win the WhatsApp war."

"Some of the favelas, which are low-income settlements, were run by drug lords and gangs of all kinds who would force you to be on Facebook."

"If you look at say, Twitter, where 50% of young people are very active in Saudi Arabia, the most popular Twitter accounts are often imams themselves, because there's a lot of competition amongst these religious leaders to get the young people's attention."

Who You'll Hear

Dirk Knemeyer, Social Futurist and Producer of Creative Next (@dknemeyer)

Jonathan Follett, Writer, Electronic Musician, Emerging Tech Researcher and Producer of Creative Next (@jonfollett)

Payal Arora, Author of The Next Billion Users and Associate Professor, Department of Media and Communication, Erasmus University Rotterdam (@3Lmantra)

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Sponsors

GoInvo, A design practice dedicated to innovation in healthcare whose clients are as varied as AstraZeneca, 3M Health Information Services, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. www.goinvo.com

Design Museum Foundation, A new kind of museum, they believe design can change the world. They’re online, nomadic, and focused on making design accessible to everyone. Their mission: bring the transformative power of design everywhere. You can learn about their exhibitions, events, magazine, and more. www.designmuseumfoundation.org

BIF, As a purpose-driven firm, BIF is committed to bringing design strategy where it is needed most - health care, education, and public service to create value for our most vulnerable populations. www.bif.is