Measuring development is the flagship annual conference of the World Bank’s Development Impact Group, which for the past decade has showcased cutting-edge measurement research and its application to pressing policy challenges.
Organized in partnership with the Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) at the University of California, Berkeley, the World Bank’s Development Data Group (DECDG), and the Center for the Economics of Innovation and Development (CEID) at the University of Chicago, MeasureDev brings together researchers, policymakers, and decision-makers to accelerate the practical implementation of innovative ideas. Keynote speakers include Susan Athey of Stanford, Josh Blumenstock of the University of California, Berkeley, and David McKenzie of the World Bankand many more.
As innovations in generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) attract widespread public attention and caution, the tenth annual MeasureDev Conference, “AI, the next generation” explored the transformative potential of next-generation data and AI tools in global development. reported GenAI is estimated to contribute between $2.6 trillion and $4.4 trillion annually to the global economy. Given its rapid evolution and growing influence, there is a need to ensure that the innovations that come with it best serve the interests and needs of our communities, beyond economic gain.
Dan Bjorkegrenconference keynote speaker and head of the AI and Development Initiative at Columbia University’s Center for Development Economics and Policy (CDEP), noted: “Algorithms necessarily encode values… If you think about an AI assistant that might recommend medical procedures, what procedures should be recommended? There are a lot of values that go into determining those procedures.” As we increasingly integrate algorithms into our society, especially in areas like healthcare, it is critical to define these embedded values. Establishing ethical guidelines and investing in inclusive and representative data today is essential to ensure AI serves society’s broader goals.
MeasureDev 2024 focused on efforts to improve and expand responsible data infrastructure in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), facilitate the development of a new generation of ethical AI tools, and optimize generative AI (GenAI) tools like Large Language Models (LLMs) for social impact.
