Tag: Generative AI

Small Businesses and Generative AI in India

I worked several times in India, first with an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) project based in Jabalpur, and then later with a CIDA funded project working with Polytechnics in Southern India. It is an amazing country, with amazing people and amazing food. I even got to ride on an elephant! In this context, and my interest in international development, I was excited to see the article referenced here published by ICTworks. In my view, Wayan Vota has hit a home-run with this story (or in the context of India, it might be better to say has hit a six).

https://www.ictworks.org/india-small-business-revolution

The article focuses on how many persons in India are applying Generative AI to help them set up new businesses or improve existing ones.

Among the statistics Wayan quotes from recent LinkedIn research are these amazing facts.

  • 82% of Indian small business founders say starting a business is easier with AI.
  • 83% of business leaders in India say it’s key to growing their business
  • 97% of small businesses in India are already using AI in some form

We didn’t have even basic AI when I worked in India at the start of the New Millennium, but at least I can say our telecom project at the time assisted India to enhance its telecommunications. A small but important contribution.

You can read about my assignment in India and others in South Asia in my book.

Overseas Adventures – North Star Skills for Development

Enjoy both.

Generative AI and International Development

Our friends at ICTWorks have highlighted a new publication from the Association of South East Asian Countries (ASEAN) that presents not only the benefits but also the risks that Generative AI brings to entities conducting international development.

First a short geography lesson. Where is ASEAN and what countries are represented? See the map below.

Map illustrating the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), highlighting countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and others.

For information about what ASEAN does, see their website here.

Homepage – ASEAN Main Portal

To obtain the full ASEAN Guidelines on Use of Generative AI, you can find the publication here.

Click to access genai-governance-ethics.pdf

Cover of the Expanded ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics featuring a smiling woman using a laptop, with a background of digital data and the ASEAN logo.

To find the summary of the above document by ICTWorks, use this link.

https://www.ictworks.org/six-generative-ai-threats

Bernie Sanders and AI

See some comments from Bernie on AI and its effects on jobs in the USA. Food for thought from Bernie.

Personal Observations on Using Generative AI

I have begun to use Generative AI in my own writing and drafting of documents. The best advice I have is to always check what the system spits out to ensure accuracy and avoid the pitfalls highlighted in the report.

A REMINDER

Don’t forget to order a copy of my memoir from this website, or from AMAZON.

Cover of the book 'Overseas Adventures' by Arthur E. Shears, featuring an aerial view of a beach with waves and a sandy shoreline.
Back cover of the memoir 'Overseas Adventures' by Arthur E. Shears, featuring a brief summary about volunteer work in Africa and Asia, along with a photo of the author.