dámiláre

As a first-time vibe coder, I wish AI knew when to say no I tried to build a simple tool for my reporting. Instead, I stumbled onto the psychology of creation in the age of AI.

“I was the kid who learned coding in school, only to abandon it for writing stories about people who were building businesses by writing code.”

Rest of World reporter @tarykuh.bsky.social tries vibe coding to see what all the fuss is about: restofworld.org/2025/vibe-co...

Google backs African push to reclaim AI language data A new 21-language data set gives African institutions ownership and control in a field long dominated by Big Tech.

If you speak to an AI bot in an African language, it will most likely not understand you. If it does manage to muster a response, it will be rife with errors. A new project from Google is trying to help fix the problem, while making a move toward digital sovereignty.

New from @tarykuh.bsky.social

China’s rare-earth dominance is hard for EV makers to escape Western automakers are chasing rare earth-free motors but China’s cost advantage remains difficult to crack.

“If you build a product where 90% of a key component is controlled by one country, you’re not very comfortable.”

EV makers struggle to break free from China’s stranglehold on rare earths
https://restofworld.org/2026/chinas-rare-earth-dominance-is-hard-for-ev-makers-to-escape/

Bhutan’s crypto experiment shows how hard digital money is in the real world Nearly a year after launching a nationwide crypto payment system for tourists, merchants say hardly anyone is using it — raising questions about who the experiment really serves.

Nearly a year after Bhutan launched a nationwide crypto payment system for tourists, merchants say hardly anyone is using it — raising questions about who the experiment really serves
https://restofworld.org/2026/bhutan-bitcoin-tourism-payment-adoption-failure/

The hidden Kenyan workers training China’s AI models An unemployment crisis has created fertile ground for companies to step in with opaque systems built on WhatsApp groups, middlemen, and bargain-basement wages.

Kenya’s unemployment crisis has allowed Chinese AI companies to tap into a workforce of young people willing to label thousands of videos for around $6 a day, report @tarykuh.bsky.social and Tessie Waithira for @restofworld.org
restofworld.org/2025/kenya-c...

How Starlink took over Africa’s largest internet market Elon Musk’s company is set to become Nigeria's top internet service provider.

Great read from @tarykuh.bsky.social and @restofworld.org:

"These satellite dishes .... symbolize a technological coup in Africa’s most populous nation."

restofworld.org/2025/starlin...

What Meta’s dispute in Nigeria means for its millions of users Facing a penalty for data breaches, the social media giant is threatening to pull WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram from Africa's most populous nation.

Facing a penalty for data breaches, Meta is threatening to pull WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram from Nigeria

New from @tarykuh.bsky.social:
restofworld.org/2025/meta-ni...

Transsion wheels into Africa’s EV market with same playbook that conquered mobile phones The Chinese company behind 50% of Africa’s smartphone sales now wants to dominate its roads.

Transsion built a smartphone empire in Africa. Now it wants to do the same with EVs.

Read @tarykuh.bsky.social's reporting from Lagos for @restofworld.org —

restofworld.org/2025/transsi...

Who is most at risk from the billions of leaked Facebook and Google passwords? CyberNews researchers flag breach as “blueprint for mass exploitation.”

A breach of 16 billion login credentials is putting Facebook and Google users at risk. The impact will hit hardest in countries with fast-growing digital economies and limited cybersecurity protections, reports @tarykuh.bsky.social for @restofworld.org
restofworld.org/2025/google-...

Why Big Tech is threatened by a global push for data sovereignty Countries are forcing tech giants to store citizen data locally, challenging the standard business model of harvesting data abroad while keeping profits at home.

Why Big Tech is threatened by a global push for data sovereignty

By @tarykuh.bsky.social restofworld.org/2025/big-tec...

Why Big Tech is threatened by a global push for data sovereignty Countries are forcing tech giants to store citizen data locally, challenging the standard business model of harvesting data abroad while keeping profits at home.

Developing countries are pushing back on Big Tech’s control of user data. The countries want tech giants to store their citizens’ data locally instead of overseas, to reclaim digital sovereignty and have more control, reports @tarykuh.bsky.social for @restofworld.org
restofworld.org/2025/big-tec...

AI and immigration uncertainty threaten Nigeria’s dreams of becoming an outsourcing hot spot The West African nation wants to become the next global outsourcing hub, but as AI takes over basic tech tasks and U.S. visa hurdles rise, replicating India’s success could be challenging.

Nigeria is spending big on a program to train 3 million tech workers by 2027, part of an effort to become an outsourcing hotspot. But as AI takes over more coding and call center tasks, will the demand still be there?

New from @tarykuh.bsky.social & Stephanie Wangari
restofworld.org/2025/nigeria...

Big Tech’s “AI for good” spending increases in Africa. So does skepticism While Google, Microsoft, and Meta provide AI for social good, some advocates say projects exploit the continent for data, erode local control.

U.S. tech giants are spending big on “AI for good” in Africa. But Africa could become a testing ground for AI models and a vast source of data collection in the U.S.-China tech rivalry, eroding local control, local experts warn. @tarykuh.bsky.social @restofworld.org
restofworld.org/2025/africa-...

Big Tech’s “AI for good” spending increases in Africa. So does skepticism While Google, Microsoft, and Meta provide AI for social good, some advocates say projects exploit the continent for data, erode local control.

Google, Meta, and Microsoft are investing in “AI for good” tools to tackle problems like wildfires, hunger, and maternity deaths in Africa. But some experts say such projects could exploit the continent for data and erode local control.

New from @tarykuh.bsky.social

Rest of World’s @tarykuh.bsky.social spoke to Jumia CEO Francis Dufay about how the African e-commerce company restructured its business to withstand competition from Chinese companies, while seizing opportunities from the U.S.-China trade war.

Read the Q&A:
restofworld.org/2025/jumia-t...

What you need to know about Africa’s first AI factory Nvidia and Zimbabwean billionaire Strive Masiyiwa join hands to bring supercomputer technology to the continent.

What you need to know about Africa’s first AI factory

New from @tarykuh.bsky.social
restofworld.org/2025/nvidia-...

Tesla arrives in Saudi Arabia after Musk’s tumultuous history Years after a dramatic fallout and a near-privatization saga, the electric vehicle giant is set to open showrooms in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam.

Tesla is finally set to debut in Saudi Arabia, years after a dramatic fallout between Riyadh and Elon Musk

New from @tarykuh.bsky.social:
restofworld.org/2025/tesla-s...

How Starlink took over Africa’s largest internet market Elon Musk’s company is set to become Nigeria's top internet service provider.

In the sprawling electronic market of Lagos’ Computer Village, one item is flying off the shelves: Elon Musk's Starlink kit. People are desperate for reliable, high-speed internet, which local providers have failed to deliver

New from @tarykuh.bsky.social
restofworld.org/2025/starlin...

How Starlink took over Africa’s largest internet market Elon Musk’s company is set to become Nigeria's top internet service provider.

Starlink is on track to become the top internet service provider in Nigeria, the continent's largest internet market. Read @tarykuh.bsky.social report on the success of the satellite internet company @restofworld.org .
restofworld.org/2025/starlin...

a zimbabwean billionaire, who made his fortune from telecoms, is venturing into his most ambitious project yet. in partnership with nvidia, one of his companies is giving africa its first AI factory.

here’s what you need to know about what this means.👇🏿👇🏿

Careem’s CEO wants to transform the ride-hailing giant into a “digital butler” for everyday life Mudassir Sheikha, who co-founded the Middle East-based ride-hailing giant, on Careem’s new chapter, its recipe for winning local markets, and what Western companies get wrong in emerging economies.

I met with Mudassir Sheikha, the CEO and co-founder of Careem, to talk about why it’s an exciting time to be a tech company in the Middle East, what Western companies get wrong in emerging markets, and how he plans to turn Careem into "everyone’s digital butler."

restofworld.org/2025/careem-...

How a Japanese entrepreneur built Ethiopia’s fastest-growing EV maker Dodai is building 300 battery-swapping stations to cut costs and make EVs more accessible.

How a Japanese entrepreneur built Ethiopia’s fastest-growing EV maker

restofworld.org/2025/dodai-e... — by @tarykuh.bsky.social

Africa’s startup funding crisis deepens as Mastercard Foundation exits top VC firm The withdrawal leaves a gap in support for early-stage startups, as Africa’s tech funding has been declining since 2022.

Mastercard Foundation’s big withdrawal from Africa’s top VC firm leaves a gap in support for early-stage startups, as Africa’s tech funding has been declining since 2022.

Read the latest from @tarykuh.bsky.social:
restofworld.org/2025/masterc...

Pakistan’s electric rickshaws are accelerating the country’s EV revolution Automaker Sazgar is focused on meeting local needs as Pakistan pushes for EV adoption, but high costs remain a barrier for some drivers.

At @restofworld.org, we've regularly written about how three-wheelers are leading the EV revolution in emerging markets.

Today's story is from Pakistan, where the country's top rickshaw maker is pioneering e-rickshaws, hoping to make them a mainstream option.

restofworld.org/2025/sazgar-...

Teens across Asia migrate to Taiwan for promises of semiconductor jobs Student-interns are paid for low-skill factory tasks and spend little time in the classroom.

Teens across Asia are migrating to Taiwan in hopes of finding semiconductor jobs

Hsiuwen Liu's reporting from Taipei —

restofworld.org/2025/taiwan-...

Syria just hosted its first international tech conference in 50 years Syrian-American entrepreneurs and investors hope to facilitate 25,000 new tech jobs in the country by 2030.

Syria’s economy is in a state of turmoil. But the country just hosted its first tech conference, which it put together in less than a month. The aim? To help create 25,000 new jobs in Syria's tech sector over the next five years, reports Danny Makki @restofworld.org
restofworld.org/2025/syria-i...

Teens across Asia migrate to Taiwan for promises of semiconductor jobs Student-interns are paid for low-skill factory tasks and spend little time in the classroom.

They’re supposed to be students, but they’re working long hours for low wages in Taiwan’s semiconductor factories: “The time spent in school is very, very little — in some cases, just one day or less. What’s the reality? Most of their time is spent working.”
restofworld.org/2025/taiwan-...

Starlink is now cheaper than leading internet provider in some African countries In Ghana, Starlink is half the price of the local ISP.

in rural kenya, where safaricom services are either too expensive or unreliable, starlink is becoming a choice internet provider for households.

@khadijaalam.bsky.social and i reported on how starlink cost less than local isps in some african countries.
restofworld.org/2025/starlin...

Elon Musk's Starlink is now cheaper than the leading internet provider in some African countries

Reporting by @khadijaalam.bsky.social & @tarykuh.bsky.social

restofworld.org/2025/starlin...

The little ride-hailing app that could catch Uber and Bolt in Kenya Founder Kamal Budhabhatti’s winning strategy targets corporate clients.

Kenyan ride-hailing service Little knew it could not beat Uber and Bolt at offering discounts, so it found an alternative: corporate transport. Little now has over 5,000 corporate clients — more than Uber and Bolt combined.

@tarykuh.bsky.social reporting from Nairobi
restofworld.org/2025/uber-bo...