Tracking the changing role of foreign direct investment and remittances—check the latest WDI data
For decades, foreign direct investment (FDI) was seen as the primary engine of development finance. But that’s changing, as FDI flows fall off and remittances
From learning to earning: an AI career coach for students choosing what comes next
“Before I met Gallito, I had no real idea what I wanted to do.” The student who said it attends a public school in Lima, months
Technology adoption and labour shortages: Evidence from Britain’s Industrial Revolution
As populations in rich countries age and fewer youngsters enter the labour force, employers and politicians bemoan labour ‘shortages’. This column turns to historical evidence
Asian investors eye firms benefiting from but resilient to AI
Asian investors struck a cautious tone on artificial intelligence as they increasingly wager on businesses that can withstand the AI-led disruption and look for firms
China’s accession to the WTO increased pollution via coal powerplants, not exporters or their suppliers and consumers
As countries consider trade deals to foster development, the question of how trade impacts pollution keeps resurfacing. This column examines how China’s rapid entry into
AI, productivity, and work: Evidence from US firms
Real-time evidence from users can inform the current policy debates around artificial intelligence. This column reports on a survey of executives at typical US firms
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.
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
Why some digital payment systems replace cash and others don’t
Digital payment systems promise to extend financial services to people underserved by banks, and overcoming barriers to the adoption of such systems is thus central
The early takeoff of space innovation
The conventional account of US space sector transformation credits the post-2005 entry of SpaceX, Blue Origin, and other commercial firms with revitalising a stagnant industry.
