"The recent rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) has outpaced society's ability to
fully grasp its implications. Unlike technological shifts that have unfolded over decades,
Al's integration is accelerating at an unprecedented speed and scale. Along with Al's
immense opportunities come new responsibilities--especially for ethical deployment,
accountability, and alignment with human values--that have few precedents in previous
technology revolutions.
This 2025 edition of the Digital Progress and Trends Report (DPTR) explores how
low- and middle-income countries can harness AI to drive inclusive and sustainable
development--and avoid being left behind. The report explains what makes AI different
from earlier general-purpose technologies and why it matters for development. It
introduces the 4Cs, the foundations essential for AI adoption, adaptation, and innovation:
connectivity (infrastructure), compute (processing power), context (training data,
algorithms, and applications), and competenc
