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- AI in developing countries is not about catching up to the West—it’s about doing things differently, more inclusively, and more humanely. AIFOD Day 3
AI in developing countries is not about catching up to the West—it’s about doing things differently, more inclusively, and more humanely. AIFOD Day 3
Invest in regional academic ecosystems, support language diversity, and build platforms that respect regional knowledge frameworks.
Pascal Hetzscholdt
July 17, 2025
AI with Purpose: Lessons from the Global South for Scholarly Publishing and Strategic Investment
by ChatGPT-4o
The third day of the AIFOD 2025 Summit in Vienna marked a decisive shift—from framing AI as a tool to enabling it as a transformative partner in global development. With powerful insights from innovators, health tech pioneers, and legal reform advocates, Day 3 delivered a rich tapestry of value for C-level executives in scholarly publishing. The discussions presented a compelling case for publishers to view AI not merely as a threat or cost center but as a strategic opportunity to build sustainable partnerships, deepen market relevance, and advance knowledge equity.
🔍 Key Takeaways for Scholarly Publishing Executives
1. Shift from Access to Co-Creation
Daniel Ojanic’s keynote redefined how developing countries engage with AI—not by catching up to Western platforms, but by building from the ground up with local voice and trust. His demonstration of “Caroline,” an AI assistant, illustrated the potential of AI as a collaborative learning partner—not a content consumer. His vision of “building smarter relationships with knowledge” resonates with scholarly publishing's core mission. For publishers, this is a call to co-develop tools and platforms that empower local educators, researchers, and learners, especially in underrepresented regions.
2. Investment in Local Capacity = Market Growth
Yogesh Gupta of Gaston AI shared how his precision nutrition model had to be re-trained for local contexts in Africa and India, reflecting social habits and economic realities. This mirrors the publishing industry’s challenge with one-size-fits-all content. Gupta’s key recommendation—partnering with local researchers and universities—is directly applicable to publishers: invest in regional academic ecosystems, support language diversity, and build platforms that respect regional knowledge frameworks. These partnerships can unlock new content contributors, authors, and institutional subscribers.
3. Ethical AI Depends on Cultural Context
The conference warned against AI systems that inherit Western biases, citing a case in Nigeria where Meta AI was rapidly adopted despite linguistic and cultural mismatches. Youth were asking critical life questions to systems not trained on their realities. This parallels concerns in publishing: if discovery tools and AI summaries are based on biased models, global scholarly integrity is undermined. Publishers must advocate for culturally inclusive training data, open-source transparency, and multilingual support. This not only ensures equity but secures trust among diverse academic communities.
4. Public-Private Partnerships Need Scholarly Input
Panelists emphasized that successful AI partnerships in the Global South thrive on trust, shared purpose, and inclusion. Governments, startups, and academia must collaborate to build sustainable infrastructure. This is an open invitation for scholarly publishers to position themselves as critical knowledge partners—helping governments and edtech firms build AI literacy academies, co-author AI ethics curricula, or digitize regional research output. The value of contributing to these ecosystems is long-term brand loyalty, influence over standards, and first-mover advantage in emerging markets.
5. Digital Sovereignty as a Competitive Advantage
In a rousing final session, the link between digital sovereignty and human dignity was made explicit. Developing countries want more than access—they want agency. This aligns with movements in open access, open science, and regional publishing sovereignty. Scholarly publishers who embrace this shift—by supporting national repositories, enabling local content creation, and respecting data ownership—can earn a competitive edge while doing good.
🔥 Surprising & Controversial Statements
“AI is not a tool anymore. It listens, stays, asks back, and reminds me to finish my keynote.”
This human-like framing of AI challenges traditional views of automation and positions AI as a co-educator—a concept publishers can explore through personalized learning platforms.“The real risk is not over-regulation. It’s lack of inclusion.”
A critical insight that reframes policy debates: instead of fearing restrictions, tech builders and publishers alike should fear irrelevance if communities are excluded from shaping the AI they use.“Africa’s youth already use AI to solve personal problems—but in Western languages and values.”
This signals urgent need for regional language support and values-aligned content. Scholarly publishers risk alienating millions of future students and researchers unless they address these gaps.“We should stop training people to fit systems and start building systems to connect people.”
A radical inversion of traditional education and workforce prep logic—one that publishers might adopt by designing platforms that adapt to diverse learning needs rather than enforcing editorial conformity.
📌 Strategic Recommendations for Publishers
Co-develop AI-powered research tools with universities in the Global South—not just for translation or distribution, but as joint IP.
Invest in AI literacy academies that promote responsible authorship and information evaluation, embedding your brand in the knowledge infrastructure.
Form public-private alliances to support data digitization, metadata standardization, and ethical AI model training based on regional content.
Open up access to regional authors and editors with revenue-sharing models that encourage content creation in underrepresented languages and fields.
Be proactive in shaping AI regulation—act as a bridge between academic freedom, tech accountability, and societal benefit.
🌍 Final Thought
Day 3 of AIFOD underscored a simple truth: AI in developing countries is not about catching up to the West—it’s about doing things differently, more inclusively, and more humanely. For scholarly publishers, this is not just a CSR opportunity. It’s a strategic moment to redefine how knowledge is created, connected, and owned across the globe.
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15 JUL
Key Takeaways from Day 1 of the AI For Developing Countries (AIFOD) Summit — Opportunities and Insights for Scholarly Publishers
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00:15
Key Insights from Day 2 of the AIFOD Summit – There will be rising demand for local datasets, research capabilities, and educational content tailored to AI deployment