Welcome to Backstory, a weekly newsletter turning global technology shifts into a three-minute read. This week, we’re thinking about government – Mary Ames, Director of Strategy

THE BIG TAKE

How to run the perfect government

The mechanics of government have never been entirely straightforward. Statecraft can be messy. Yet, the difficulty of governance hasn’t stopped truly remarkable innovations from taking place. This is especially true in our age of technological expansion, and the trends have been on full display at the World Government Summit in Dubai that just wrapped up this week. From building cities of the future to accelerating the global economic recovery, the smartest minds descended on Dubai to tackle pressing issues facing global governance. 

Web3 everywhere: Mohammad Al Gergawi, UAE Minister of Cabinet Affairs, opened the World Government Summit this year with an enlightening discussion about the impact of web3 on governance. From the metaverse to cryptocurrencies, new technologies using web3 protocols have a profound effect on how forward-thinking governments are navigating governance questions of the future. “The speed of change in the world is always bigger than expected, which makes the study of the future, flexibility of governments, and speed of decision-making all the more important now than ever,” Gergawi explained.

Opportunities abound: Central to many (if not all) discussions at the World Government Summit this year is that technological breakthroughs are leading to unprecedented opportunities for cities. While the global economy might be stalled at the present moment, the pace of change means that the horizon is brighter than ever. Just look at the data. In the past two years, the digital economy multiplied eight times to reach $4 trillion, online education grew 11 times, and the time required for developing vaccines was shortened from six years to 100 days. The World Government Summit proved that it is a vital forum to evaluate the changes that will shape our future. 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“A surplus of effort could overcome a deficit of confidence.”

– Sonia Sotomayor, US Supreme Court Justice

OUR VIEWS THIS WEEK

AI is a public good: Given the power and potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to change the planet for the better, shouldn’t governments have a more significant role in safeguarding the technology? That’s the simple but complex question we investigated in this archived piece in Xische Reports. The development and use of AI technology are crucial for society, and it can’t be left to big tech giants alone. Moreover, the US government (and others like it) are missing an excellent opportunity to use AI for good across the public sector.

Local fintech: Have you heard about BNPL? If not, we have you covered as it is one of the fastest-growing sectors in global fintech. BNPL stands for “Buy Now Pay Later”, and it is driving growth in the untapped market of people who can’t or won’t use credit cards — and the UAE is an emerging hub. If you want to peer into the future of the local technology sector, start with fintech.

SPOTTED ELSEWHERE

What’s wrong with spicy food? There are so many misconceptions about spicy foods. Can spicy kill certain bacteria and keep you safer? Can too much spice kill your taste buds? The good news for all those spicy food lovers is that many of these misconceptions aren’t based in fact. However, there are some interesting tidbits about spicy foods that are shockingly real, as The Skeptic found out in this fascinating piece. 

Microsoft, the heating company: The computer company Microsoft announced a fascinating partnership with Fortum to provide heating to homes and businesses using sustainable waste from its data centers. This groundbreaking announcement could change how we understand waste from data centers. Fortum will capture the excess heat generated by a new data center region built by Microsoft in the Helsinki metropolitan area in Finland. This is the type of innovation that we desperately need.

QUICK HITS

• Russia’s unbreakable internet? 

• Can NFTs save the Amazon rainforest? 

• The food business is upset with Instagram.

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