About WBG
The World Bank Group works in every major area of development. We provide a wide array of financial products and technical assistance, and we help countries share and apply innovative knowledge and solutions to the challenges they face.Activities by WBG
Transmitting AI Training: Evidence from Policymakers in Pakistan
Asia and the Pacific PakistanHow does AI training impact policymaking? We randomly assign a rigorous “AI for policy” workshop to deputy ministers in Pakistan and find that deputy ministers shift their attitudes towards AI and increase funding for digitization, a precursor to AI. During this randomized evaluation of the training program, we then cross-randomized ministers to receive AI fairness activism that emphasizes the inescapability of algorithmic bias. AI fairness activism causes policymakers to report greater costs associated with AI in policymaking and decrease funding for digitization. Both interventions transmit from the deputy ministers to their subordinate staff and impact the population. Amid land record digitization efforts, treated ministers’ jurisdictions reduced delays in handling land disputes by 33%. AI training increases downstream support for AI in policy making while AI fairness activism reduces the effect of the training.
Activity Type Research/Reports/AssessmentsCroatia Business Environment Reform with applied AI
Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States CroatiaThe World Bank has been supporting the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development (MoESD) of Croatia in digitalizing Government to Business (G2B) service delivery for business registration and business licensing. This advisory work is carried out by the Bank at the request of the Government, with funding by the European Union, and in cooperation with the European Commission's DG REFORM. The work involved piloting an innovative approach for mapping business administrative procedures that involved the application of AI/Machine Learning (ML) and Natural Language Processing (NLP). The developed digital algorithm processed 110 laws and 1,204 bylaws from the registry of regulations to identify more than 9,000 potential regulatory requirements in 33 administrative areas, including business authorizations (permits, licenses, etc.), and minimum conditions. Further, the data cleansing resulted in a mapping database of ~1,500 business-related administrative procedures. The Bank also produced a report on recommendations for publishing the mapping online and on a mechanism to keep the mapping data updated following regulatory changes, and a roadmap for modernization and digitalization of Government to Business (G2B) service delivery.
Activity Type AI Tools/SolutionsTechnical assistanceResearch/Reports/AssessmentsExploring the Landscape of Data Use in the Development Economics Literature using Large Language Models (AI and LLMs)
Global Not ApplicableThis project aims to build a Database of Data Use by developing AI models to detect when and how data is mentioned or used in documents. Just as citation databases like Google Scholar have transformed our ability to measure the impact of research, this initiative aims to create a framework for assessing the utility and impact of data. By systematically tracking data use, we can better understand the return on investment in data production, identify data gaps, and guide future funding and policy decisions. However, this challenge cannot be solved through manual methods. There is no widely adopted standard for citing data; references often appear in inconsistent or unstructured forms. AI makes this task feasible for the first time. By learning to recognize the context in which data is referenced, regardless of how it is cited or described, AI enables scalable and intelligent detection of data use across large volumes of text. By uncovering where and how data is used—or not—this project helps ensure that development efforts are grounded in evidence and that investments in data yield real-world impact.
Activity Type AI Tools/SolutionsResearch/Reports/AssessmentsInfrastructure/Systems DevelopmentVietnam University Development of VNU-Hanoi, VNU-HCM, and UD
Asia and the Pacific Viet NamUnder Research Excellence and Knowledge Transfer subcomponent, priority research areas will be materials science, biotechnology, information technology with focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI), environment and climate change, agriculture, tourism and digital economy for the HCMC and Mekong Delta region; and socio-economic policy analysis and data forecasting for Vietnam. Necessary infrastructure, equipment, technology and other support for the above mentioned research priorities will be provided.
Activity Type Research/Reports/AssessmentsInfrastructure/Systems Development