PragmThe Hope for AI
AI is changing the world around us.
We already use it to write code, create content, draft proposals, conduct research, analyse data and much much more.
The rate of development is exponential.
It's certain that we're on a path towards a world completely changed by this technology.
That change brings potential.
AI will be used to automate more. Solve more problems. Build better products.
The hope for humanity is that it will reduce our cognitive load, allow us to be more present in the world, focus on what makes us human.
AI has the potential to creating a better future for humanity.
But who will this potential belong to?
Leaving it to market forces
The worst case scenario, is that AI centralises power. We have a powerful minority that own and leverage this technology.
As noted by Bill Gates, if this is the case then market forces won't naturally help the poorest.
Market forces won't naturally produce AI products and services that help the poorest. The opposite is more likely... Just as the world needs its brightest people focused on its biggest problems, we will need to focus the world's best AIs on its biggest problems.
I'd take this a step further. We don't need to just focus the world's best AI on the worlds biggest problems. We need to empower communities to build their own. We need a future generation who are AI literate.
Literacy = Accessibility + Education
AI Literacy doesn't just mean understanding the technology.
It means having access to build with it.
And being educated on how to do so.
What I love about the software world is that both of these things can and do happen.
Open source and LLM Distillation means we now are able to run small and powerful LLMs on our own machine.
You also have AI pioneers like Andrej Karpathy who are sharing their knowledge with the world.
And what is different about AI in comparison to other technology advancements of the past is that the individual has access to cutting edge technology.
So that brings a huge opportunity to empower the individual.
If the last technology wave [the internet] reduced the costs of broadcasting information, this one [AI] reduces the costs of acting on it. - Mustafa Suleyman, The Coming Wave
Making the most of that opportunity, surfing the wave, so to speak, all starts with education.
The current state of AI Education
In February 2025, Unicef carried out a report of 330,000 14-35 year olds across 181 countries. Only 15% of respondents described themselves as "very familiar" with AI, with many remarking the importance of AI training as a cornerstone for preparing for the future… and nearly 40% identifying AI training as the most critical need for navigating tomorrow's workforce.
That's a large gap. And if we hope for a more equitable world, one where communities are empowered to build technology that best serves their communities, one that needs solving quickly.
The Hope
For AI to bridge the digital divide we need an increase in AI Education wordwide.
With that communities will be empowered to build their own AI systems. This enables a circular economy in their own communities.
The most powerful AI solutions - the ones that will change lives - don't come from universal models, but from focused ones built by, and for, the communities they serve.
Lets use the potential that AI brings to improve lives equitably worldwide.
