Tech

Learning spreads through educator networks Eigenvector centrality pinpoints the hubs to seed first Targeting those hubs speeds recovery systemwide Seventy percent of 10-year-olds in low- and middle-income countries still canno

AI tongue diagnosis turns a centuries-old check into fast, cheap triage With phones and clear protocols, it flags likely risks for confirmatory tests Deploy in primary care with consent, calibration, and monitoring to scale safely

Deepfakes are breaking trust in evidence Campuses need rapid takedowns, provenance checks, and victim support Lawmakers must close gaps now with clear liability and cross-border enforcement We used to view images as facts.

Germans distrust AI-made news but reward transparent, human-led outlets Trust grows when provenance and labeling are clear EU rules now make this transparency mandatory A striking number tells the story.

Europe lags by undervaluing software Software investment and productivity must grow together Skills and management close the gap If two neighbors buy the same machines but only one installs the software, who get

Social media polarization is a feature of engagement-driven design, not a glitch Schools should shift from neutrality to making accuracy the product students share Prebunking, accuracy prompts, lateral reading, and policy partnerships raise information fidelity

Spain’s blackout showed solar alone doesn’t keep schools on Campuses need batteries, islanding inverters, and wiring upgrades Shift policy from price relief to resilience built in schools In 2024, Spain generated 56.8% of its e

Reshoring works only when automation slashes unit labor costs Raise robot density and software-driven productivity, not tariffs Tie incentives to verified plant gains and workforce upskilling One key point that should ch

U.S.

Confidence follows identity more than facts Schools should teach election procedures and prebunk manipulation Local transparency and routine audits build resilience when results disappoint The most telling number from the

Germany’s reputation for efficiency hides massive losses from excessive bureaucracy Evidence from trains, bakeries, and schools shows that cutting redundant processes boosts performance and retention.

East Asia’s rise is method, not miracle: education plus efficiency China’s electronics exports soared from $5B to ~$1T via process mastery Policy focus: applied numeracy, diffusion finance, infrastructure, measurable yield gains

Tariffs framed as job protection often act instead as taxes on critical inputs Employment in U.S.

This article is based on ideas originally published by VoxEU – Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) and has been independently rewritten and extended by The Economy editorial team. While inspired by the original analysis, the content presented here reflects a broader interpretation and additional commentary. The views expressed do not necessarily represent those of VoxEU or CEPR.

This article was independently developed by The Economy editorial team and draws on original analysis published by East Asia Forum. The content has been substantially rewritten, expanded, and reframed for broader context and relevance. All views expressed are solely those of the author and do not represent the official position of East Asia Forum or its contributors.

This article is based on ideas originally published by VoxEU – Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) and has been independently rewritten and extended by The Economy editorial team. While inspired by the original analysis, the content presented here reflects a broader interpretation and additional commentary. The views expressed do not necessarily represent those of VoxEU or CEPR.

This article was independently developed by The Economy editorial team and draws on original analysis published by East Asia Forum. The content has been substantially rewritten, expanded, and reframed for broader context and relevance. All views expressed are solely those of the author and do not represent the official position of East Asia Forum or its contributors.

For two decades, we've treated language as a human input/output problem: fingers to type, lungs and lips to speak, and years of training to master a second language. That design hypothesis has just been broken. In August 2025, a team led by Stanford reported a brain implant that decoded "internal speech" — silent, self-generated words — at the command with up to 74% accuracy from a vocabulary of 125,000 words,  protected by a thought password that prevented accidental decoding in about 98% of cases.

In July 2025, Google DeepMind reported that the Gemini "Deep Think" system solved five of the six problems of the International Mathematical Olympiad for 35/42 points - gold medal level from the competition's scoring rubric. This is not just a feat of technology. It is a testament to the potential of artificial intelligence to inspire admiration and curiosity, sparking new ideas and approaches in education.

Seventy-two percent of U.S. teens have used an AI "partner," and more than half say they use one regularly. That's not a niche. It's the new default for teen relaxation, practice talks, and (increasingly) advice on familiar problems. At the same time, a national data snapshot shows that 54% of 12-17-year-olds report difficulty getting the necessary mental health care.