As the expanded BRICS+ bloc—now representing over half the world’s population—gears up for the 2025 summit in Rio, a high-powered roundtable is tackling one question: How can the Global South turn AI from a buzzword into a bridge for shared prosperity? 💻🤝
From Potential to Progress
Hosted by CGTN and China’s Global Development Promotion Center, the discussion brought diplomats, tech leaders, and young innovators together under the Global Development Initiative (GDI). Key themes? Closing the AI divide, boosting digital infrastructure, and ensuring tech benefits reach everyone—not just the usual suspects. 🌍✨
Youth Take the Mic
‘We’re not just users—we’re builders,’ argued one Gen-Z panelist, highlighting how local startups in Africa and Southeast Asia are already using AI for everything from crop predictions to disaster response. The challenge? Scaling these solutions without losing their grassroots magic. 🚀
The Road to Rio 2025
With Brazil set to host the next BRICS summit, experts stressed that collaboration > competition. Think cross-border data policies, open-source AI training programs, and maybe even a ‘Digital South’ innovation fund. As one speaker put it: ‘This isn’t about catching up—it’s about redefining the race.’ 🏁
