Rina Chandran

Opinion | Bad Bunny Just Wants to Stay Home. So Do I.

Bad Bunny’s shows in Puerto Rico will draw roughly half a million attendees abd could inject over $200 million into the local economy, bumping up the G.D.P. by 0.15 percentage point — enough to prompt Moody’s Analytics to raise its economic forecast for the territory.
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/03/o...

As China goes all in on AI, tech workers scramble to learn new skills Chinese students and tech workers are turning to online tutorials that promise to turn them into experts who can land highly paid jobs, but these courses often fall short.

Since the launch of DeepSeek, classes promising AI skills have surged in China, as companies race to recruit talent. But there is little oversight of the courses, with complaints about their quality and misleading claims: @violazhou.bsky.social @restofworld.org
restofworld.org/2025/china-t...

U.S. targets Brazil’s payments platform Pix in trade spat Big Tech has struggled to compete against Brazil’s beloved digital payments system, with the U.S. government now investigating the country’s “unfair trade practices.”

Big Tech companies have struggled to compete against Pix, Brazil’s popular digital payments system, which is backed by the central bank. Now the U.S. govt is investigating the country’s “unfair trade practices,” reports Laura Martins for @restofworld.org
restofworld.org/2025/pix-bra...

Meta brought AI to rural Colombia. Now students are failing exams When Meta embedded AI bots in its apps, even students in the most remote corners of Colombia gained access. But rather than boosting learning, it’s getting in the way.

Rural Colombia was initially sheltered from AI because of its remoteness, and because few students had smartphones. Then Meta added AI bots to WhatsApp and IG. Now AI-generated papers are common, and test scores are dropping, reports Laura Salamanca @restofworld.org
restofworld.org/2025/colombi...

Inside the collapse of Builder.ai: Was it even an AI company? The implosion of a white-hot startup has employees asking how it all went wrong.

BuilderAI raised $445 mln and boasted that its AI chatbot, Natasha, would simplify the process of building apps. When the company collapsed, it was claimed that Natasha was really just 700 human engineers. Varsha Bansal dug up the facts for @restofworld.org
restofworld.org/2025/builder...

The surprise winner in the U.S.-China tech war? Vietnam’s chip industry Vietnamese chip component suppliers are responding to growing market demands for products with no Chinese link.

Amid U.S.-China tensions, Vietnam is rapidly scaling its semiconductor ambitions to meet increased demand for products without Chinese ties, reports @lamle52.bsky.social for @restofworld.org
restofworld.org/2025/vietnam...

Unleashing the AI jobs revolution in Africa While there are concerns that AI will eliminate jobs, in many developing countries, it can help create jobs that never existed before.

There are concerns that AI will eliminate jobs, but in many developing countries, it can help create jobs that never existed before, find solutions for real-world problems and drive the economy, writes Samuel Alemayehu for @restofworld.org.
restofworld.org/2025/ai-afri...

Nickel workers powered the EV battery boom. Now, layoffs have hit. Indonesia dominates the EV nickel supply chain. But prices are falling, threatening workers in high-risk, high-reward smelting jobs.

Indonesia dominates the nickel supply chain for EVs. But prices are falling due to oversupply, and a switch to lithium ion batteries. The workers now face layoffs. Meet some of these workers working in a dangerous industry. Linda Yulisman reports for @restofworld.org
restofworld.org/2025/nickel-...

BYD distracted the world while Chinese EV peers staged a coup Even as BYD grabs headlines, a pack of Chinese automakers is quietly conquering overseas markets with aggressive pricing and localization.

While all eyes were on BYD overtaking Tesla, smaller Chinese EV makers quietly rolled into the global top 10. Chinese automakers now control 70% of global EV production, reports Ananya Bhattacharya for @restofworld.org
restofworld.org/2025/chinese...

Why the world should stop obsessing over LLMs Nandan Nilekani, the mind behind India’s digital revolution, says the future of AI will not be shaped by who builds the bigger model but by small systems designed to resolve real-world problems.

The future of AI will not be determined by who builds the biggest LLMs, but by small systems designed to resolve real-world problems, @nandannilekani.bsky.social tells
@itika.bsky.social @jeelanireports.bsky.social @restofworld.org
restofworld.org/2025/nandan-...

How Technology and Regulatory Gaps Fuel Scam Compounds | TechPolicy.Press Despite growing attention to scam compounds, counter trafficking efforts in Southeast Asia have been slowed down, Laura Scherling writes.

Another seeming casualty of the US foreign aid freeze is the fight against human trafficking and forced labor in Southeast Asia, writes Dr. Laura Scherling. This includes the battle against scam compounds, hubs for organized crime, and forced labor.

AI and immigration uncertainty threaten Nigeria’s dreams of becoming an outsourcing hot spot The West African nation wants to become the next global outsourcing hub, but as AI takes over basic tech tasks and U.S. visa hurdles rise, replicating India’s success could be challenging.

Nigeria is spending big to train 3 million tech workers by 2027, part of an effort to become an outsourcing hub like India. But AI and immigration restrictions are quickly reshaping the industry, report @tarykuh.bsky.social and Stephanie Wangari for @restofworld.org
restofworld.org/2025/nigeria...

Ride-hailing giants’ electric promises are stalling worldwide EV adoption by major platforms is at low single digits as infrastructure gaps and costs derail climate goals.

Ride-hailing apps promised big EV fleets, but are not there yet. Adoption is particularly slow in developing countries, with high vehicle costs and poor infrastructure making the switch difficult for drivers already making do with small margins: @restofworld.org
restofworld.org/2025/ride-ha...

As Iran Deports a Million Afghans, ‘Where Do We Even Go?’

Afghans being forced out of Iran are grappling with an uncertain future in Afghanistan, where widespread poverty and severe restrictions on women and girls await.
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/16/w...

An AI-generated band got 1m plays on Spotify. Now music insiders say listeners should be warned The Velvet Sundown released two albums before admitting their music, images and backstory were created by AI

The Velvet Sundown released two albums before admitting their music, images and backstory were created by AI. The band got 1 mln plays on Spotify, which is under no legal obligation to identify AI-generated music. So is it just consumer beware?
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

Fed up with ChatGPT, Latin America is building its own Dozens of organizations in the region have partnered to develop a large language model that better understands Latin America’s cultural and linguistic nuances.

Dozens of organizations in Latin America have come together to develop a large language model that better understands the region's cultural and linguistic nuances compared to ChatGPT or Llama or others built by Silicon Valley firms. Read on @restofworld.org
restofworld.org/2025/chatgpt...

TikTok’s messy merger in Indonesia could be a preview of what’s to come in the U.S. A year after merging with local giant Tokopedia, TikTok’s business model is alienating sellers, forcing many to join rival platforms.

As TikTok considers options to comply with U.S. laws to avoid a ban, an experiment in Indonesia where it merged with local giant Tokopedia, is unraveling, reports Michelle Anindya for @restofworld.org
restofworld.org/2025/tiktok-indonesia-tokopedia-merger-problems

Struggling Chinese EV brands go global to flee brutal price war at home Backlash against Neta Auto in Thailand underscores risks of companies expanding abroad too soon.

As competition at home intensifies, more Chinese EV makers are expanding abroad. But they are doing so before they’re financially stable, and that's causing trouble and making consumers in these markets wary, reports @kinlinglo.bsky.social for @restofworld.org.

restofworld.org/2025/chinese...

Tireless health workers keep rural telehealth alive despite USAID cuts and poor internet Bangladesh’s telemedicine program overcame tech barriers to connect rural residents to city doctors until this year.

Bangladesh’s telemedicine program overcame spotty internet and other barriers to connect rural residents to city doctors. Now, budget cuts have shuttered many clinics that were a lifeline to many, reports Jesmin Papri for @restofworld.org
restofworld.org/2025/usaid-c...

Why Big Tech is threatened by a global push for data sovereignty Countries are forcing tech giants to store citizen data locally, challenging the standard business model of harvesting data abroad while keeping profits at home.

Developing countries are pushing back on Big Tech’s control of user data. The countries want tech giants to store their citizens’ data locally instead of overseas, to reclaim digital sovereignty and have more control, reports @tarykuh.bsky.social for @restofworld.org
restofworld.org/2025/big-tec...

Dangerous mines: A death at the bottom of the EV supply chain In Zimbabwe, the EV rush has brought a surge of Chinese investment into lithium mines. But many locals feel left out — and some have turned to stealing.

The EV boom has brought Chinese investment in Zimbabwe lithium mines. But locals feel left out, and some have turned to stealing, risking death from falls and cave-ins, as well as violent encounters with guards. Read in @restofworld.org
restofworld.org/2025/zimbabwe-lithium-mining-boom

Meta’s grand WhatsApp fintech experiment in India has fizzled Despite having 500 million users in India, WhatsApp couldn’t crack the country’s $3 trillion fintech market.

Despite having 500 million users in India, WhatsApp couldn’t crack the country’s $3 trillion fintech market, reports Ananya Bhattacharya for @restofworld.org
restofworld.org/2025/whatsap...

What we’re reading: Rest of World’s summer book list Spanning subjects from Apple to Nvidia to OpenAI, here are six compelling books on technology, tech leaders, and the promise and perils of artificial intelligence.

Need a good summer read to catch up on the world of tech? Check out these six books on Meta, Nvidia, Apple, OpenAI, Huawei, and the AI Con by
@karenhao.bsky.social @patrickmcgee.bsky.social @alexhanna.bsky.social @emilybender.bsky.social and more.
restofworld.org/2025/summer-...

Brazil wants to be a sustainable data center hub. Environmentalists are skeptical The country recently announced its national data center policy, despite worries that new investments will wreak havoc on the land.

Brazil is pitching itself as a sustainable data center hub, despite worries that these investments will wreak havoc on the country's fragile ecosystem, Jorge Carrasco reports for @restofworld.org
restofworld.org/2025/brazil-...

Taiwan is creating an offshore wind industry to fuel its semiconductor factories The island’s offshore wind ambitions are creating a new class of cable engineers.

Taiwan is developing offshore wind to fuel its semiconductor factories, creating a challenging but highly paid job market for engineers, reports Hsiuwen Liu for @restofworld.org .
restofworld.org/2025/taiwan-...

The hidden labor that makes AI work Alex Hanna and Emily M. Bender examine the hype behind artificial intelligence in their new book, The AI Con. Below is an excerpt on the invisible labor behind some AI tools.

Call it clickwork, crowdwork, data labor, or ghost work - they are all poorly-paid, precarious and traumatic jobs that make AI possible. Read an excerpt from The AI Con by @alexhanna.bsky.social and @emilymbender.bsky.social on @restofworld.org .
restofworld.org/2025/the-ai-con-book-invisible-labor

Out of space: Picturing the big, crowded business of satellite internet Space-based internet is remaking Earth’s orbit — and fueling a gold rush.

Space-based internet is remaking Earth’s orbit — and fueling a gold rush, @khadijaalam.bsky.social reports for @restofworld.org in this cool visualisation.
restofworld.org/2025/satellites-space-based-internet

How sleeping in old schools is reviving rural Japan As Japan's dwindling population increasingly migrates to cities, 450 rural schools close each year. Now, some are being transformed into unique inns.

Great idea! Japan’s dwindling population is shuttering hundreds of its rural schools. Many of them are being turned into tourist guesthouses.

www.bbc.com/travel/artic...

The Society of Publishers in Asia on X: "🏆 Reporting on the Environment - Award for Excellence - Regional/Local group goes to @restofworld! Ground-level take on climate change—tracking gig workers navigating some of the world’s most polluted cities. Congratulations! #SOPAwards2025 📰 https://t.co/IAzZ6sUSxu https://t.co/yHG3c2q2Ms" / X 🏆 Reporting on the Environment - Award for Excellence - Regional/Local group goes to @restofworld! Ground-level take on climate change—tracking gig workers navigating some of the world’s most polluted cities. Congratulations! #SOPAwards2025 📰 https://t.co/IAzZ6sUSxu https://t.co/yHG3c2q2Ms

Huge congratulations to my brilliant colleagues @restofworld.org for winning a SOPA award for reporting on the environment!
x.com/sopasia/stat...

Who is most at risk from the billions of leaked Facebook and Google passwords? CyberNews researchers flag breach as “blueprint for mass exploitation.”

A breach of 16 billion login credentials is putting Facebook and Google users at risk. The impact will hit hardest in countries with fast-growing digital economies and limited cybersecurity protections, reports @tarykuh.bsky.social for @restofworld.org
restofworld.org/2025/google-...