AI Can Have a Transformative Impact in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, Says GSMA Report

"Around the world, artificial intelligence (AI) is automating functions and making new services possible with breakthroughs in cheap computing power, cloud computing services, growth in big data and advancements in machine learning (ML) and related processes," according to a study that aims to understand the current and potential use of AI by startups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in four regions: Sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa and South and Southeast Asia.

The report, which was produced by the GSM Association (GSMA), a UK-based organization representing the interests of mobile operators worldwide, asserts that "AI can radically alter and improve the way governments, organizations and individuals provide services, access information and improve their planning and operations."

Mapping "a sample of 450 start-ups by sector in alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and, based on interviews with AI experts in LMICs," the report explores "trends and challenges in business models, barriers to innovation and the ethical and responsible use of AI." In doing so, the study answers the following research questions:

• What is the status of AI use in LMICs?
• Which sectors, geographies and business models are showing the most promise, and why?
• What are some of the barriers to implementing AI solutions in LMICs?
• How can AI be used ethically to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs?

Top AI use cases in LMIC include agriculture, administration and business processes, cities and infrastructure, climate change, disaster management, education, finance and microlending, government and public services, healthcare, and identity. In explaining the use cases by sector verticals, the report says: "Business intelligence and analytics had the highest number of use cases as it captures a wide range of business-to-business (B2B) solutions, from enhanced retail market analysis and predictive decision making to customer service. Customer service chatbots, automated IT consulting, big data analytics and automated records are some examples of AI use cases."

As for healthcare, this rapidly growing sector "had the second highest number of use cases and clearly benefits from AI solutions, including sophisticated diagnosis and treatment options, hospital management systems, lifestyle change recommendations and healthy eating habits." The report further notes that "[f]ood and agriculture, financial services, education and retail and consumer goods followed these sectors. Food and agriculture employs a range of AI-based services, including services for identifying and remedying crop diseases, linking producers more effectively to buyers and markets and helping farmers maximize crop yields based on climatic and soil conditions."

As for use cases by country and region, the report identified a few AI innovation hotspots (see map above). "India," for example, "was the most represented country in our sample. The country accounted for over 40 percent of the sample (180 use cases), indicating a high level of innovation and AI uptake in the country. Far more cases were identified in India, but were excluded due to limited alignment with development outcomes, apart from general economic development. Nigeria and South Africa were the next two most represented nations in the sample with 42 and 38 use cases, respectively. China was excluded from the study, along with the rest of East Asia, which are emerging as centers of AI innovation and investment. For example, in 2017, China submitted approximately 1,300 AI and deep learning-related patents, compared to 220 by the United States."

Data, ICT infrastructure and hardware challenges create barriers to implementing AI in LMICs. Such challenges include the availability, accessibility and quality of data, access to reliable and affordable internet, lack of access to sufficient computing power, increasing digital inclusion and connectivity including device access, ownership and capability, and unreliable power infrastructure.

Human capital and lack of funding and automation present additional barriers. According to the GSMA, "While there is growing access to upskilling and training in AI, many countries still lack a steady pipeline of home-grown talent and skilled AI development talent. [...] The lack of mentorship available to start-ups developing AI-based solutions is also a constraint in many countries."

Regarding the lack of investment, the report explains that "AI-based solutions typically need a lot of investment. Unlike countries such as China and the United States, investment and funding are extremely limited in most LMICs. Countries in Africa and South and Southeast Asia that appear to have higher levels of investment include India, Kenya, Malaysia, Thailand and South Africa."

On the topic of the ethical use of AI in LMICs, the report points out that "To genuinely contribute to the SDGs, AI innovators need to eliminate the potential negative impacts of their AI processes. AI applications should be ethical by design to prevent and mitigate any potential negative impacts on users, workers, communities and the environment."

Moreover, "The application of existing laws, regulations and privacy principles, such as the GSMA Mobile Privacy Principles, can help mitigate privacy and ethics risks associated with AI. In addition to these frameworks, the GSMA recommends the adoption of the following principles by all stakeholders using AI for social good."

• "Do no harm: Development and deployment of AI systems should respect human rights and should not cause human rights harm to individuals or groups. Particular care should be given to preventing harm to vulnerable individuals or groups."
• "Be inclusive: AI stakeholders should support inclusion and equity, and should strive to ensure that the benefits of their AI-based technologies are broadly accessible.
• "Be fair: AI systems should incorporate human oversight. All stakeholders should strive to ensure that the data used in AI is accurate and not unfairly biased. AI should not be used to make decisions that may affect any group or individual in an unfair or discriminatory way (e.g. discrimination based on protected characteristics such as race, gender, etc.).
• "Ensure transparency: Individuals should be informed when they are communicating with AI-powered systems instead of a human (e.g. conversational AI). Decisions made with AI should be clearly explained to the individuals affected.
• "Embed accountability: All AI stakeholders should be accountable for their use of AI and should promote these principles with the third parties they engage for social good purposes.
• "Adopt privacy and ethics by design: AI systems should be designed and deployed according to privacy and ethics by design ethos or methodology at each stage of the life cycle, with input from relevant teams.
• "Advance security and safety: Access to AI systems and their underlying data should be controlled and subject to audits or other accountability measures. State-of-the-art security measures should be used wherever possible. All AI experts and practitioners should implement best practices in security.
• "Support sustainability and societal well-being: Sustainability and societal well-being should be considered in the development and deployment of AI systems."

Maintaining business interests in many of the countries covered in this report, I concur with the GSMA that AI can have a transformative impact on LMICs. Such transformation, however, will require investments from the private sector and governments to overcome the aforementioned barriers to implementing AI. What is more, media sources are starting to present reports about the misuse of the technology. It is imperative that all stakeholders using AI adopt the GSMA's recommendations for using AI for social good.

Do you agree with the report's findings? How are you engaging in the development of AI solutions in LMICs?

Aaron Rose is a board member, corporate advisor, and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor of GT Perspectives, an online forum focused on turning perspective into opportunity.

GSMA Report Unpacks the Health Systems and Digital Health Solutions in Response to COVID-19 in Bangladesh, Myanmar, Pakistan, Benin, Nigeria and Rwanda

The previous post focused on a report by the GSMA on a report about utilizing digital health as a health system strengthening tool for developing countries. This post explores a subsequent report published by the UK-based organization representing the interests of mobile operators worldwide, which unpacks the health systems and digital health solutions in six developing countries: Bangladesh, Myanmar, Pakistan, Benin, Nigeria and Rwanda.

The report explains that "the state of play of digital health in each country . . . varies quite considerably. Bangladesh and Rwanda treat digital health as part of a whole-of-government approach and seek to leverage government-wide infrastructure and standards. Pakistan and Nigeria, which have a strong federal tradition, have a more fragmented approach. In Myanmar and Benin, digital health is still in early stages and relies more heavily on contributions from development partners."

What is more, "Several insights were gleaned from our key informant interviews (KIIs). A common theme was that broad stakeholder involvement in digital health ecosystems is a growing trend that should be fostered, but how this is done varies from country to country. While some respondents want governments to create an enabling environment, others see start-ups and mobile operators playing a greater role. Another emerging theme was the lack of shared understanding among stakeholders of policy requirements and frameworks."

I concur with the report's assertion that the "COVID-19 pandemic is a challenge confronting all countries, and the report briefly reviews some of the digital health approaches each country has taken." Given their importance, I have included each country's digital health approach below.

Bangladesh ‒ Digital health: COVID-19 response

"Digital tools and digital health solutions have provided critical support to Bangladesh's COVID-19 response, enabling access to essential information and health services. The government's digital health strategy focuses on developing instant and quality healthcare services via mobile apps, and tapping into the country's large number of mobile subscribers to establish a countrywide digital health system.

"The government has encouraged public-private partnerships (PPPs) since the beginning of the crisis, emphasizing close collaboration with digital health start-ups. The surge in demand for telemedicine has led to the advent of 15 digital healthcare providers providing these services. The launch of virtual hospital HelloDoc in April 2020, and the launch of the Daktarbhai telemedicine platform, have both supported the development of a telehealth system during COVID-19. In May 2020, the government collaborated with ride-sharing platform Pathao, digital health solution Maya and Praava Health to provide instant healthcare services via the Pathao Health mobile app. Pathao Health connects users to an online COVID-19 symptom checker and provides one-on-one medical services through phone and video consultations. Users can also obtain prescriptions and order medicines through the app. Bangladesh has also begun to use surveillance, reporting and contact tracing features in a COVID-19 module for DHIS2, as well as Go.Data for contact tracing in the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazar.

"Data is a critical resource for supporting public health actions across the different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mobile operators are working with key stakeholders, including a2i and the National Telecommunications Monitoring Centre, on a COVID-19 Collective Intelligence System. More details can be found in GSMA's report, Keeping Bangladesh connected: The role of the mobile industry during the COVID-19 pandemic."

Myanmar ‒ Digital health: COVID-19 response

"In April 2020, the Myanmar Computer Federation (MCF) developed the country’s official contact tracing app Saw Saw Shar to help contain the spread of the virus. The app was developed in partnership with the COVID-19 Control and Emergency Response ICT team under the Ministry of Transport and Communication and the Ministry of Health and Sports. In addition to monitoring symptoms, the app provides timely notifications of nearby areas that have positive cases and are potentially high risk, as well as official COVID-19 hotline contacts and the closest fever clinics and quarantine centers. The app also has a dashboard that visualizes COVID-19 transmission and infections by region in Myanmar."

Pakistan ‒ Digital health: COVID-19 response

"Technology has played a significant role in Pakistan's response to COVID-19, and the development of digital health platforms has been a priority for the government.38 Pakistan’s Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination (MoNHSRC) is working with software companies such as CIT Solutions, telemedicine companies such as Sehat Kahani and doctors247online and start-ups from the tech hub National Incubation Centre.

"The mobile industry has been contributing to the digital health response to COVID-19. Mobile operators have provided free calls to emergency numbers, helped distribute information and alerts via SMS and expanded a polio hotline for COVID-19 enquiries. The government also worked with mobile operators to replace the standard call ringtone with COVID-19 messaging, and established a mobile track-and-trace system and dashboard that centralize COVID-19 data, both of which are active. Live data on hospital capacity is generated, and an app is available for citizens to identify nearby hospitals and their capacity. Data on index cases is mapped onto population centers using geotagging to identify hotspots and inform a smart lockdown strategy. Social media and traditional media have also been used to raise awareness and distribute information on sanitization techniques, handwashing and social distancing.

"Provincial governments have set up phone helplines for COVID-19-related enquiries and advice. The Yaran-e-Watan telehealth platform was launched in partnership with Sehat Kahani to harness the expertise of Pakistani health professionals living outside the country and to connect them with appropriate institutions in Pakistan. Health professionals can deliver teletraining sessions, provide consultations and triage assistance using telemedicine and participate in research collaborations. Telehealth and tele-education have been used extensively. The Government of Pakistan recently launched a COVID-19 telehealth portal on Twitter, as well as a website. Pakistani doctors and health professionals have been invited to register and volunteer to help COVID-19 patients.

"The Sindhi government developed the CoronaCheck app that allows users to check their symptoms through a screening tool that utilizes an AI-assisted chatbot. It also provides information from the World Health Organization (WHO) and lists relevant services."

Benin ‒ Digital health: COVID-19 response

"A centralized, government-led platform that provides frequent COVID-19 updates is freely available to all mobile subscribers in Benin, and there are a range of awareness-raising videos and press releases on various social networks. An interactive WhatsApp messaging system has been set up and helps the national COVID-19 response team to communicate directly with citizens.

"Sèmè City, with support from UNFPA Benin, has created Taskforce Innov COVID-19 Benin to mitigate the challenges presented by COVID-19. This initiative aims to develop local solutions that deliver healthcare services to women and strengthen the economic resilience of youth entrepreneurs. The task force is comprised of various players (start-ups, SMEs, large corporates, academics and scientists, government agencies and NGOs) that are developing innovative solutions adapted to Benin's social and economic context. Sèmè City is responsible for coordinating the task force's activities. Digital health start-ups, including KEA Medicals and REMA, are part of the task force, working closely with the government during the pandemic."

Nigeria ‒ Digital health: COVID-19 response

"The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) launched a COVID-19 eTraining course on Infection Prevention and Control. The online course is available to the public and is aimed at healthcare workers to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases while administering healthcare in Nigeria.

"Since the first COVID-19 case in Nigeria was confirmed in February 2020, the NCDC has supported the training of about 17,436 health workers in Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), and works in collaboration with the Department of Hospital Services and the Department of Food and Drugs under the FMoH. Since February2020, Nigeria has increased its molecular laboratory network for COVID-19 testing, from two laboratories to 28 in states across the country. To achieve this, the NCDC collaborated with private sector partners, such as start-up 54Gene and eHealth Africa, which were instrumental in expanding testing capacity for COVID-19.

"LifeBank, a blood delivery digital health start-up, has collaborated with the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research to develop rapid testing kits and create a shared database to track available medical equipment. Wellvis Health created COVID Triage,54 a digital self-assessment tool that helps users test whether they have been exposed to the virus and take the next steps. In turn, the NCDC collects this data to see who might be at high risk of contracting COVID-19 and isolate them. GloEpid by Tech4Dev has developed a contact tracing tool that uses a smartphone, GPS and Bluetooth connection to trace the movements of those who have been potentially exposed to the virus."

Rwanda ‒ Digital health: COVID-19 response

"Digital health has been a key enabler for Rwanda's COVID-19 response, particularly in terms of access to information and healthcare. The government has set up a toll-free national helpline and a USSD platform for self-triage. Information from the WHO was disseminated via SMS and drones, and AI-enabled drones operated by technology company Zipline have been used to deliver medical supplies to more remote areas of the country. Mobile money transaction fees have been waived to increase uptake and encourage cashless payments.

"The following digital solutions have helped the government respond effectively to the COVID-19 outbreak:

• "Contact tracing: Infections are being traced through the paperless Open Data Kit app that can be downloaded on a mobile device. Data is collected for analysis by outbreak investigation teams.
• "COVID-19 surveillance: A digital reporting surveillance system for health facilities is being used to monitor influenza-like illnesses and severe acute respiratory infections in real time to provide early warnings of suspected COVID-19 cases.
• "Infection prevention: Robots have been used in healthcare settings to perform simple tasks, such as checking temperatures and monitoring patients to reduce healthcare workers' exposure.
• "Data visualization: Geographic Information System (GIS) is being used to monitor COVID-19 cases at the household level to assess the need for lockdown measures, to focus public health interventions where there is evidence of community transmission and to monitor at-risk populations."

Lastly, the report explains that its final section "features case studies from each country. Again, while these are just snapshots, taken together they illustrate some of the progress that is being made in strengthening health systems with digital health solutions."

COVID-19 has significantly impacted health systems in countries worldwide. During my travels to developing countries prior to the global pandemic, I saw just how fragile these health systems are. Since the start of the pandemic, my colleagues who live in these countries have shared how COVID-19 has exasperated the health system's vulnerabilities in providing quality healthcare to the general population. The GSMA report, however, provides much encouragement on how governments, civil society, and the private sector can collaborate in creating sustainable digital health solutions.

What are your thoughts about the report? What digital health solutions are you seeing that were created as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Aaron Rose is a board member, corporate advisor, and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor of GT Perspectives, an online forum focused on turning perspective into opportunity.

More Than 60 Percent of the Global Population Will Start Using the Mobile Internet by 2025

5G is on track to account for 15 percent of global mobile connections by 2025, as the number of 5G network launches and compatible devices ramps up in 2019, according to a new GSMA report. Released at GSMA's MWC Barcelona 19 on Feb. 25th, The Mobile Economy 2019 reveals that a further 16 major markets worldwide will switch on commercial 5G networks this year, following on from the first 5G launches in South Korea and the United States in 2018. Authored by GSMA Intelligence, the research arm of the GSMA, this year's report presents four key findings:

5G is here: opportunity awaits

"5G is now upon us," the GSMA asserts, "bringing with it the promise of a host of exciting new services. As the boundaries between mobile and the wider digital ecosystem continue to blur, and as data monetization poses a continued challenge, many operators are moving beyond their traditional telco businesses to explore new opportunities in a fast-changing competitive landscape:

"IoT: between 2018 and 2025, the number of global IoT connections will triple to 25 billion, while global IoT revenue will quadruple to $1.1 trillion. With connectivity becoming increasingly commoditized, mobile operators are looking to expand their role in the value chain – from providing essential tools and capabilities for ecosystem partners to build IoT solutions, to becoming end-to-end IoT solution providers themselves.

"Content: the content sector is undergoing significant transformation driven by shifting consumer behavior, new players and changing content production and distribution models. To benefit from an unprecedented level of content consumption, an increasing number of telecoms operators are entering the content space or strengthening their existing content offerings, through vertical integration, partnerships with OTT video service providers or creating content themselves.

"Artificial intelligence: AI will be key to future business and digital transformation. It will drive increasingly autonomous and intelligent networks and improve customer experience through greater learning of customer behavior. Operators across the globe are growing their focus on AI, with AI-based applications including chatbots and digital assistants, network operation/planning, customer care, advertising and AI as a service.

"Devices: while their ubiquity means smartphones remain the focal point of the consumer internet economy, the range of connected devices (and therefore internet access channels) is greater than ever. In the most advanced countries, today’s digital consumers (using PCs and smartphones) will likely become tomorrow's augmented customers, adopting emerging technologies such as AI (via smart speakers) and immersive reality."

Some 700 million new mobile subscribers by 2025

As someone who aims to empower people in emerging economies through innovative, technology-based solutions, I find it encouragingly that "5.1 billion people around the world subscribed to mobile services" by the end of 2018, "accounting for 67% of the global population."

Furthermore, "Of the 710 million people expected to subscribe to mobile services for the first time over the next seven years, half will come from the Asia Pacific region and just under a quarter will come from Sub-Saharan Africa.

"Meanwhile, mobile continues to make a significant contribution to socioeconomic development around the world. In 2018, mobile technologies and services generated $3.9 trillion of economic value (4.6% of GDP) globally, a contribution that will reach $4.8 trillion (4.8% of GDP) by 2023 as countries increasingly benefit from the improvements in productivity and efficiency brought about by increased take-up of mobile services. Further ahead, 5G technologies are expected to contribute $2.2 trillion to the global economy over the next 15 years."

The report promisingly says "[t]he connectivity gap also continues to close: over the next seven years, 1.4 billion people will start using the mobile internet for the first time, bringing the total number of mobile internet subscribers globally to 5 billion by 2025 (over 60% of the population). This growth in connectivity is helping the mobile industry increase its impact across all the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and is spurring adoption of mobile-based tools and solutions (for example, in agriculture, education and healthcare) that aim to improve livelihoods in low- to middle-income countries."

4G takes the lead, while commercial 5G is now a reality

Interestingly, "4G overtook 2G to become the leading mobile technology across the world" in 2018, "with 3.4 billion connections accounting for 43% of the total (excluding licensed cellular IoT). With growth continuing apace, particularly across developing markets, 4G will soon become the dominant mobile technology, surpassing half of global mobile connections in 2019 and reaching 60% in 2023."

Enabling policies for digital advancement

"Advanced mobile networks are a critical component of the digital future," the report explains, "and governments must play their part. The mobile industry urges governments to set enabling policies for 5G and to reform regulatory frameworks no longer suited to today’s digital economy."

Infographic: GSMA Intelligence

If you work in the mobile economy, how does this report impact your business's international growth strategy?

Aaron Rose is a board member, corporate advisor, and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor of Solutions for a Sustainable World.

Smart Lifers Increasingly Use Connected Devices and Services, but Worry About Privacy and Security

The previous post on this blog focused a conference session, "Getting Hacked: IoT and Beyond," I attended at CES®2019 in Las Vegas, Nev. where AIG, an American insurer, released a report that presents key questions Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and risk managers should be asking regarding the relationship between IoT and cybersecurity. In addition to this session, I attended one entitled "Living the Smart Life: The Evolution of Today's Consumer" where representatives of GfK, a multinational market research firm based in German, shared their latest research on consumers and the "smart life."

During the conference session, which an archived video may be viewed through this link, Karen Ramspacher and Kathy Sheehan, GfK's Senior Vice President of Innovation & Insights and Executive Vice President of Consumer Life, respectively, co-presented "The Promise of the Smart Life: Opportunities and barriers that will impact adoption."

A point made early in the presentation is how the global smartphone market has reached saturation. Voice technologies, however, is growing by 21 percent of the worldwide population have used the emerging technology. Interestingly, the median age of adults using voice assistants 42.7 with 58 percent using them for streaming music, 48 percent for weather updates, and 37 percent to set a timer or alarm. What is more, as reflected in the slide to the right, the global use of voice technologies is high in Argentina, Brazil, India, Russia, Spain, and the United States.

Whether it is voice assistants or the smart home, the presentation crucially says the "demand for simplicity" where "if a new technology product is not simple to use, I lose interest in it." The presentation notes the smart home is hitting a tipping point in leading markets with 49 percent of Americans owns at least one smart home product or device. And there is still room for growth with 58 percent of Americans, an increase of seven percentage points since 2015, "feel smart home technology will impact their life over the next few years."

Where will the growth continue? Americans interested in having the following types of smart home features: Optimize energy usage, remote home monitoring, appliances communicate with each other, self-diagnose problems, remote via mobile devices, real-time energy tracking, further automate household chores, and share health data with healthcare providers.

And more sophisticated applications are emerging with communication between appliances becoming the fastest growing emerging technology and smart home benefit. Furthermore, new apps and interfaces are making it easier for consumers to monitor their homes for safety, which include receiving alerts when something unusual happens at home (e.g., smoke/gas, security alarm, door/window opening or water leak), monitor your home with a video camera, control lights inside or outside your home, and grant access to home when you cannot be there with a scheduled code to let housekeeper/guest in.

With respect to detection opportunities, the presenters explained 57 percent of Americans, up from 49 percent in 2012, are interested in smart home products that reduce allergens in the home. Globally, 41 percent of people want a car that protects from health threats (allergens, pollution, and other environmental hazards), and 58 percent worry about getting sick from contaminated food or drink.

On the topic of mobility (auto), 55 percent of Americans said their vehicle selection has been influenced by in-vehicle technology and 58 percent of Americans attest that they definitely or probably will consider a vehicle with personal assistant capabilities.

When it comes to using mobile applications for health and wellness, 69 percent of U.S. consumers, up four percentage points from 2009, focus on preventative healthcare measures as opposed to treating current issues. In providing reasons for tracking or monitoring their health or fitness, 52 percent say they do so to motivate themselves to exercise, 52 percent do so to maintain or improve their physical condition, 51 percent do so to lose weight, 45 percent do so to motivate themselves to eat or drink healthy, and 30 percent do so to improve sleep.

Regarding mobile payments, online banking and shopping are two areas consumers overwhelmingly see the benefits far outweighing any negatives. While mobile wallets have lower acceptance rates in the U.S., growth globally suggests further opportunity in the American market.

The presenters then discussed the demographics of the Smart Lifer. Six percent or 16 million Americans are considered a Smart Lifer with 59 percent being female, 51 percent having children, and 60 percent being married. Importantly, Smart Lifers say privacy concern is the primary barrier for adoption of digital home assistants in the U.S.

More Smart Lifers are saying no to always-on connectivity with 37 percent of global consumers responding they regularly take a break from technology or unplug/disconnect to maintain health (an increase of 14 points since 2014). Among Americans aged 18-24, 25 percent say they feel disconnected without the internet (down seven points since 2013), 25 percent say it is important to always be reachable wherever they are (down six points since 2013), and 22 percent like to be connected, either by phone or the internet, at all times (down six points since 2013).

The presenters also noted that 2018 was the year when the danger of social media becomes apparent with 82 percent saying they were concerned about their social media footprint. And 17 percent citing personal information falling into the wrong hands as a top concern.

Lastly, on the topic of brand trust, 44 percent of global consumers strongly agree with "I only buy products or services from a trusted brand."

As more global consumers purchase internet-connected devices and services, cybersecurity will have a direct correlation in establishing brand trust. And as noted in the previous blog post, creating strong cybersecurity standards to protect consumer data will involved the collaboration of CISOs and risk managers. The GfK presentation demonstrates the large global market opportunity for connected hardware manufacturers and service companies. However, companies should understand that incorporating strong data protection processes will serve an important value proposition in selling products and services to Smart Lifers.

Which findings from the presentation will your company incorporate in its operational or product development strategy?

Aaron Rose is an advisor to talented entrepreneurs and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor of Solutions for a Sustainable World.

Report Focuses on How Asia-Pacific Is Leading the Way in Emerging Media Consumption Trends

A report published by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) asserts that "although smartphones are now ubiquitous across much of the planet, Asia is at the cutting edge of innovation when it comes to their use." Digital upheaval: how Asia-Pacific is leading the way in emerging media consumption trends further says: "Already, across much of the region there has been fundamental change in media consumption and communication. Thanks to smartphones, which have brought millions online for the first time, many countries have leapfrogged the traditional intermediate stages of media consumption, and individuals have taken control. They can now access what they want, where and when they want it." Commissioned by The Trade Desk, a Ventura, Calf.-based technology company that empowers buyers of advertising, the report is based on in-depth research, including interviews with 16 experts and executives.

Based on my frequent travels to Asia over the past several years, I concur with the report's assertion that "the region's entrepreneurs have been quick to seize the opportunity, creating new networks of information and entertainment, and finding innovative uses for technologies such as multi-functioning messaging apps and quick-response (QR) codes."

Moreover, the report, which is available in English, 简体中文, and 日本語, explains, "All of this has opened up new channels of communication between businesses and consumers. It has also been a boon to the region's creative industries, notably small-time content producers such as individual live streamers. Further media-related innovations popularized in Asia, like the ability to link micropayments to these live-streaming platforms, are proving this region's inventive prowess to the rest of the world."

Regarding the Middle Kingdom, the report accurately notes:

China's unique digital ecosystem is a vital part of the story, giving rise to platforms like WeChat that have pushed the boundaries of technologies in areas such as payment and financial services, and paved the way for artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled chatbots to do things such as aiding customer interaction. Chatbots are just one new avenue companies are using to talk directly to individual consumers—QR codes are another, while digitally informed segmentation of markets for advertising campaigns can help brands forge new connections between data, clicks and purchases in the region.

Alongside the exciting advances, however, "there are concerns: Asia's frantic surge in smartphone-enabled media consumption has led to worries about media literacy. For example, Carol Soon of the National University of Singapore warns that Asian consumers have less awareness of data-privacy concerns than in Europe or North America, where it is a major issue. In the advertising space, tracking online metrics can be difficult for marketers used to channels such as TV.

"The story of Asia's digital media consumption, however, is predominantly about burgeoning opportunities and clever leaps, echoing the region's recent dramatic economic growth. Although most of these innovations can be found outside the region, in Asia their development, use, scale and impact are distinctive in several ways."

The following key advances in media consumption in Asia are addressed in the report:

Hyper-functional messaging platforms (China)
Platforms such as WeChat have become mutifunctional, especially with financial services. This is both threatening the ecosystem of app proliferation and upending payment models.

Live-streaming services (China)
Mass live streaming, an entirely new digital media category, has become especially popular among internal rural migrants, who number nearly 300 million and use it to forge informal networks of support in new environments. This has sparked new innovations in micro-payments between audiences and content creators.

QR codes (China)
Companies are finding innovative uses for QR codes, which allow them to communicate directly with individual customers in on-the-go situations.

K-pop's digital underpinnings (South Korea)
K-pop has become internationally popular thanks to a clever combination of world-leading digital infrastructure and innovative cross-border social-media marketing.

Social media as migrant social network (Indonesia, the Philippines)
Previously isolated overseas domestic workers are using social media on personal smartphones to build virtual communities of support, information and entertainment.

Long-form narrative advertising (Thailand)

Bucking the trend elsewhere for short and sensational digital adverts, Thai businesses are using the opportunities afforded by digital production to make longer narrative adverts that resemble mini-soap operas.

Natural-voice interfaces (Asia-Wide)
The region is at the fore of developing voice-enabled interfaces between users and software (including chatbots).

What innovative ways have you observed in the use of smartphones in Asia?

Aaron Rose is an advisor to talented entrepreneurs and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor of Solutions for a Sustainable World.