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Rest of World@restofworld· 20d

⏰ STARTING SOON: Join Mozilla CTO Raffi Krikorian for a conversation on the state of open-source AI and what's really happening beneath the AI headlines. 🗓️ July 24, 10 a.m. ET Register to join us: https://tally.so/r/A7GE4o

A promotional image for an event titled "The State of Open Source AI" featuring Mozilla CTO Raffi Krikorian. The date and time are July 24, 2026, at 10 a.m. ET. The design includes a small image of a person with short hair and a beard. The background is blue with abstract shapes.

Rest of World@restofworld· 21d

While electric vehicles have historically driven China's clean-tech investment announcements abroad, rising tariffs and market uncertainty have caused that enthusiasm to plummet over the last two years https://restofworld.org/2026/china-ev-makers-overseas-factories-exports/?utm_campaign=row-social

Chart titled "Chinese FDI announcements in clean tech in the last decade." It displays three trends: EV (Electric Vehicles), Wind Turbines, and Solar PV, from 2014 to 2025. EV investments peaked in 2021 above $30 billion before declining sharply. Solar PV and Wind Turbines remain below $5 billion, with slight fluctuations. Data source: Rhodium Group.

Rest of World@restofworld· 22d

The gap between the best open and closed AI models is now just 3.3%, according to a new Mozilla report. Join us this Friday at 10 a.m. ET for a conversation with Mozilla CTO Raffi Krikorian to talk all about it. Register: tally.so/r/A7GE4o

Poster for "The State of Open AI" event, featuring Mozilla CTO Raffi Krikorian. Includes text: "Join us Friday, July 24, 2026, 10 a.m. ET." Background is dark blue with abstract shapes, and there is a photo of Raffi Krikorian. Organized by Rest of World Live.

Rest of World@restofworld· 24d

Global EV sales grew 20% last year to exceed 20 million vehicles, but strict tariffs and a lack of affordable domestic options caused U.S. sales to plummet https://restofworld.org/2026/us-ev-sales-drop-global-outlook/?utm_campaign=row-social

Rest of World@restofworld· 27d

A proposed undersea cable from Chile to Hong Kong promised to connect South America directly to Asia. Instead, it became a test of how far the U.S. will go to curb Chinese telecom ambitions https://restofworld.org/2026/chile-china-america-google-cable/?utm_campaign=row-social

A map showing submarine internet cables connecting South America, primarily linking to the U.S. The map highlights Chile. Various colored lines represent the cables overlaid on a map of the Americas.

Rest of World@restofworld· 29d

If you're a regular Rest of World reader, now's a great time to create a free account. Follow reporters, get alerts when they publish, and manage your newsletter subscriptions: account.restofworld.org

Rest of World@restofworld· Jul 11

Rest of World now has free registration! You can follow individual reporters, get story alerts when they publish, and manage your newsletter preferences in one place: account.restofworld.org

A sign-in form is centered on a colorful background. The form includes fields for entering an email address, with options to continue by email or with Google. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy links are below the buttons. The background features abstract shapes and graphs.

Rest of World@restofworld· Jul 9

Read Rest of World regularly? 🌍📰 Create a free account to follow reporters, get story alerts, and manage your newsletters in one place: http://account.restofworld.org

Rest of World@restofworld· Jul 9

We mapped the world's hottest data centers. In 21 countries, all data centers are located in climates that are too hot https://restofworld.org/2025/data-center-heat-map/?utm_campaign=row-social&utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_content=1783627206

World map showing average annual surface temperatures in various locations, represented by purple dots. The background is color-coded from blue (cooler) to yellow and pink (warmer) to indicate different temperature ranges in degrees Celsius.

Rest of World@restofworld· Jul 8

Refugees in the U.S. and West Africa are turning to localized AI assistants to navigate complex legal documentation and find essential scholarships https://restofworld.org/2026/irc-signpost-humanitarian-ai-refugee-assistance/?utm_campaign=row-social

Rest of World@restofworld· Jul 6

The scarce metals locked inside millions of expiring EV batteries have become the latest flashpoint in a high-stakes race for resource independence between China and the U.S https://restofworld.org/2026/ev-battery-recycling-china-us/?utm_campaign=row-social

The image contains three labeled boxes about EV battery materials. The first box is "Nickel," highlighting its high value and recycling benefits in U.S. and European EVs. The second box is "Cobalt," described as scarce and expensive, mostly mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and a recycling priority. The third box is "Lithium," noted for storing charge, high value, and difficulty in extraction and processing.

Rest of World@restofworld· Jun 29

Chinese models are gaining market share because they can handle most common tasks at a fraction of the price of U.S. alternatives https://restofworld.org/2026/when-americans-choose-chinese-ai/?utm_campaign=row-social&utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_content=1782752761

Rest of World@restofworld· Jun 28

While LinkedIn algorithms prioritize authentic networking, a growing offshore industry in the Philippines relies on generative AI to simulate professional expertise and thought leadership https://restofworld.org/2026/virtual-assistant-linkedin-engagement/?utm_campaign=row-social

A LinkedIn post titled "Your Title Doesn’t Make You a Leader—Your Actions Do," discussing leadership as a continuous commitment to growth, resilience, and impact. The post emphasizes the importance of actions over titles and highlights the influence of leaders in shaping environments and guiding people. The post includes a stylized note at the bottom indicating it is a "thought leadership" piece generated by a virtual assistant.

Rest of World@restofworld· Jun 15

Chinese AI company Moonshot AI, the developer of Kimi models, is introducing a credit card that rewards purchases with tokens.

Rest of World@restofworld· Jun 15

At our recent New York Tech Week panel, experts broke down how the extreme concentration of AI power in the U.S. and China threatens human rights and economic sovereignty around the world https://restofworld.org/2026/ai-divide-america-china-world/?utm_campaign=row-social

Two people are sitting and speaking in a library setting, with bookshelves in the background. One person is holding a microphone.

A group of people are engaged in conversation in an office space. Books are visible on a shelf in the foreground. A red pipe runs along the ceiling.

A group of people are engaged in conversation at an indoor event or meeting. They are standing and some are holding bags. There are chairs and tables in the background, with a large window and glass wall separating different areas of the room.

Two individuals are seated and speaking into microphones during an event. They are in front of a metal shelf with a QR code on display. The setting is a well-lit, modern office space.

Rest of World@restofworld· Jun 11

And read our reporting on data centers in hot places here: restofworld.org/2025/data-ce...

world map with purple dots where data centers are. text reads: There are nearly 9,000 data centers in operation around the world, a figure set to triple by 2030.

world map with average annual surface temperature overlayed. text reads: The ideal temperature range for data centers is 18 C to 27 C (64.4 F to 80.6 F). Hot temperatures, which require more expensive cooling, are among the biggest risk factors for data centers.

world map with average annual surface temperature overlay. text reads: A growing demand for AI and the desire to store data within a country’s borders means that 600 data centers around the world are located in places that are considered too hot. In 21 countries, all the data centers are located in zones that experience average temperatures above 27 C.

Rest of World@restofworld· Jun 11

Big tech companies are using technologies such as direct-to-chip liquid cooling, as well as servers that can withstand higher temperatures, to reduce the amount of energy and water needed in data centers.

man in yellow safety vest and hard hat walking in data center

Rest of World@restofworld· Jun 11

Today, Amazon said in a blog post that its data centers used 2.5 billion gallons of water worldwide last year, which is “far less water per unit of compute” than its rivals.

blue background; white text. text reads: "2.5 billion gallons of water that Amazon said its worldwide data centers used last year"

Rest of World@restofworld· Jun 2

Great conversations, thoughtful questions, and a packed room — thanks to everyone who joined us at #NYTechWeek to talk about the future of AI and who gets to shape it.

Rest of World@restofworld· May 27

📣 Virtual event invitation 📣 This Friday, come listen to Tiezhen Wang, ex-head of APAC ecosystem for Hugging Face, speak with Kinling Lo about what open-source models mean for the US-China AI race today RSVP: https://tally.so/r/7Rppj6

Rest of World@restofworld· May 20

The U.S. and China control 90% of global computing power. Where does that leave everyone else? We're bringing together experts at #NYCTechWeek to discuss the unequal AI economy and whether a more equitable path is possible on June 2. Join us: https://partiful.com/e/2UzoY58jttvpNlysyUbc

Rest of World@restofworld· May 11

Mark Zuckerberg’s old Los Altos home is a pale blue ranch home dubbed the Facebook House. Elvis Wu, the primary tenant, had turned it into a social gathering spot for the Chinese community in Silicon Valley.

orange fluffy cat on a shelf with a few knick knacks around it

group of people gathered around a TV screen with text that reads CEO Meeting (10/25). people are eating from bowls and plates of food. small group, 10 people or so indoors

Rest of World@restofworld· May 11

Last fall, Rest of World senior reporter @violazhou.bsky.social moved into Mark Zuckerberg’s old house.

gray stone house with white railings from the outside

Rest of World@restofworld· May 8

Can Africa succeed where India failed with the $40 smartphone? https://restofworld.org/2026/gsma-cheap-smartphone-africa/?utm_campaign=row-social

People standing outside a store called Cellphone City in Lagos, Nigeria. The shop has signs for brands like vivo, Infinix, Nokia, Oppo, Apple, Samsung, Tecno, and Partner.

Rest of World@restofworld· May 3

China is the only country providing AI surveillance technology to all 11 major African nations currently investing in smart city monitoring systems https://restofworld.org/2026/africa-china-ai-surveillance/?utm_campaign=row-social

Table listing African nations' suppliers for smart city surveillance tech. Countries: China, Korea, Russia, UAE, Israel, France, Spain. African nations included: Algeria, Egypt, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe. China supplies all listed African countries. Korea supplies Kenya. Russia supplies Egypt. UAE supplies Egypt. Israel supplies Kenya. France supplies Senegal. Spain supplies Algeria. Source: Institute of Development Studies.

Rest of World@restofworld· Apr 23

In the Philippines, some AI and call-center workers are required to report on-site during natural disasters https://restofworld.org/2026/philippines-disasters-bpo-workers/?utm_campaign=row-social&utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_content=1776957004

Rest of World@restofworld· Apr 20

Mobile operators and global groups are testing ultracheap 4G phones across six African countries, hoping to close the continent’s device affordability gap https://restofworld.org/2026/gsma-cheap-smartphone-africa/?utm_campaign=row-social&utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social

Rest of World@restofworld· Apr 19

With a new 20-floor "Sentinel" tower rising in Juárez, Mexico's dominant surveillance firm is deploying an integrated network of helicopters and drones to monitor the border in real time https://restofworld.org/2026/mexico-seguritech-government-surveillance-contracts/?utm_campaign=row-social

Rest of World@restofworld· Apr 18

Fire fears, ugly designs, and lost parking are slowing EV charger rollouts from Seoul to Bengaluru. The biggest barrier isn’t technology — it’s local resistance https://restofworld.org/2026/ev-charger-backlash-fire-safety-aesthetics/?utm_campaign=row-social&utm_source=bluesky

Rest of World@restofworld· Apr 17

Starting shortly: Jules Polonetsky, CEO of the Future of Privacy Forum, joins Rest of World's Itika Sharma Punit for a conversation on safety, access, and the future of online rules for kids. Join us: https://tally.so/r/0QLANB