Welcome to Backstory, a weekly newsletter turning global technology shifts into a three-minute read. This week, we’re thinking about 2024. – Mary Ames, Director of Strategy

THE BIG TAKE

The Year Ahead

The year that was will likely end up being the year that will be. In our last edition, we discussed the stratospheric rise of artificial intelligence in 2023. As we begin a new year, AI will continue to be one of the most important stories in the world. The technology will continue improving, the debates about ethical uses of AI will strengthen, and we will slowly incorporate more AI-powered technology into our lives. Our collective challenge will be to find sensible ways to ensure that technology advances civilization and our personal lives without too many downsides. Easier said than done. 

Smart countries, smart cities. We have long argued for small countries with large knowledge economies to take the lead on vital issues surrounding developing and using advanced technologies. The historic agreement reached at COP28 in the UAE is evidence of this principle in action. The agreement wouldn't have become a reality without the UAE’s leadership in establishing the groundwork for real collaboration on combating climate change. That same spirit of collaboration is needed for pressing technology and regulation issues. 

EU sets a tone. European lawmakers have set the tone on the AI issue with their comprehensive new regulations for the technology. Countries like the UAE and Estonia (an EU member state) can now run with this legal framework and see how it behaves in practice. Are the regulations too tight to stifle innovation? Where is there room for improvement? As we start a new year, this dynamic is one to focus on. Our challenges are laid out in front of us. Will we be able to meet them in 2024?

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“There’s one thing worse than change and that’s the status quo.”

– John le Carre, Novelist

CHART OF THE WEEK

This week, we are thinking about climate change. COP28 ended with a historic agreement to phase out fossil fuels. This is exactly the type of cooperation needed to combat climate change.

OUR VIEWS THIS WEEK

Brand Storytelling for Women in Tech: Earlier this year, our Director of Strategy, Mary Ames, took center stage at the Women-In-Tech Startup Program in collaboration with DIFC Fintech Hive. A synopsis of the session is now live on xische.com. Ames shared her insights on the art of brand storytelling, turning passion into purpose, and the tools for creative impact for tech-savvy women entrepreneurs.

Digital well-being:It's time to get serious about well-being. Let’s face it: the world is still a wild place. The pandemic remains an ever-present threat. The global economy is up and down. Complicating matters is that we have never been more addicted to scrolling on our phones. Getting off one’s phone is much easier said than done, but even thirty minutes daily can make a big difference in one’s mental health. This is especially true if that screen time break happens before bed. We explore more tips and tricks in this piece published by Xische about digital health.

SPOTTED ELSEWHERE

AI and cheating. When ChatGPT exploded onto our screens at the start of 2023, several analysts expressed concern that the AI-powered bot would increase the amount of cheating in primary and higher education. It turns out the concern was misplaced, at least for now. Researchers from Stanford University have found that Chat GPT hasn't increased cases of cheating. While this could change in the future, it’s good news for the present. 

The shape known as Einstein. The world of shapes is generally overlooked. However, a group of math enthusiasts who focus on seemingly unsolvable problems have discovered a new shape called an aperiodic monotile. This shape, which has been dubbed Einstein, can tile an infinite flat surface in a pattern that doesn’t repeat. The New York Timesreports on the myriad uses of this new shape, from the banal to the extraordinary.

QUICK HITS

• The fight over inflight entertainment. 

• Stolen phone protection is finally coming to the iPhone. 

• Will books survive Spotify?

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