"Myths have long plagued the understanding of Africa. Today, the myths continue but are very different and certainly are more sophisticated, taking the form of economic models of behavior or statistical analyses, sometimes based on faulty data or interpretations of it. It is not surprising, as a...

This paper, based on the Mattei Lecture that the author delivered at the 2025 Africa Growth and Opportunity–Research in Action Conference, argues that Africa can anchor a new model of growth—and bolster global resilience—by shifting from commodity dependence to value-added production and...

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly characterized as a General Purpose Technology (GPT) capable of reconfiguring work, accelerating digitalization, and raising aggregate productivity. Yet the pace and inclusiveness of AI adoption depend less on technical potential than on complementary...

Artificial intelligence (A.I.) will likely be the most important technology we have ever developed. Technologies such as electricity, semiconductors, and the internet have been transformative, reshaping economic activity and dramatically increasing living standards throughout the world. In some...