Tshwane University of Technology (TUT). Expert on artificial intelligence, Prof. Anish Kurien, has joined global and regional experts at a World Bank Group AI consultation held in Pretoria, South Africa, contributing to discussions shaping the forthcoming World Development Report 2026 on “Artificial Intelligence for Development.”
The high-level consultation, hosted in South Africa’s administrative capital, brought together policymakers, academics, and development partners to examine how artificial intelligence could influence economic growth, public service delivery, and labour markets across developing countries.
Prof. Kurien, who serves as Acting Director of the TUT AI Hub, is part of the academic delegation providing insights on how African countries can strengthen their readiness for AI adoption through skills development, infrastructure expansion, and regulatory frameworks.
Participants at the consultation noted that AI presents significant opportunities for improving productivity and innovation, while also raising concerns about inequality if access to data, skills, and digital infrastructure remains uneven across regions.
The World Bank initiative is part of a broader global engagement process feeding into its 2026 development report, which will outline policy recommendations for leveraging artificial intelligence to support inclusive and sustainable growth.
Senior Reporter/Editor
Bio: Ugochukwu is a freelance journalist and Editor at AIbase.ng, with a strong professional focus on investigative reporting. He holds a degree in Mass Communication and brings extensive experience in news gathering, reporting, and editorial writing. With over a decade of active engagement across diverse news outlets, he contributes in-depth analytical, practical, and expository articles exploring artificial intelligence and its real-world impact. His seasoned newsroom experience and well-established information networks provide AIbase.ng with credible, timely, and high-quality coverage of emerging AI developments.