The AI skills divide in Europe and Central Asia: Who benefits and who gets left behind
As generative artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly enters classrooms across the Balkans and Türkiye, the policy conversation often focuses on tools—chatbots, adaptive platforms, automated grading systems.
Why do I care about human capital?
Society tells us that our potential for greatness is measured by how hard we work. Irrespective of material advantages, the qualities of discipline, determination, and
Moving toward an outcome-based approach for digital sovereignty
Digital sovereignty has become one of the most prominent – and contested – concepts shaping how lower-and-middle income countries approach an increasingly AI-driven world. At
Building on connectivity to transform financial inclusion in Arab countries
A new Global Findex Note, “Digital Connectivity and Financial Inclusion in Arab Countries”, reviews the region’s progress on financial inclusion, assesses financial vulnerabilities, and identifies
Europe’s ungoverned space: Military AI and the autonomy that cannot be bought
European defence ministries and intelligence services run on infrastructure they do not control and cannot independently audit – a situation highlighted by the US administration’s
Independent central banks take more risk, not less
The fiscal dominance view holds that politically captured central banks are more likely to be pushed into taking risky positions, while independent ones resist. This
Writing code versus shipping code: Productivity effects across generations of AI coding tools
Generative AI now writes a substantial share of the world’s code, but aggregate software output has changed far less. This column uses data on more
Electing women does not reduce corruption: Evidence from Brazil
As women gain political ground around the world, there is hope that the election of more women might also mean cleaner government. But is this
From bilateralism to a system: Europe’s early trade treaties and lessons for EU trade policy in a contested world
As tensions rise between major powers and the global trading system becomes more contested, policymakers often frame the choice they face starkly: either deeper centralised
Private capital markets and inequality
Private capital markets have expanded rapidly, but access remains concentrated among wealthy investors. This column presents new evidence from the US which shows that high-net-worth
