The Development Podcast

How will artificial intelligence reshape the future of work—and will it create enough opportunities for the next generation?
Over the next decade, 1.2 billion young people are expected to enter the workforce, but only around 400 million jobs are currently projected to be available. In this episode, host Tanvir Gill explores whether AI could help close that gap—or make the challenge even greater.
Entrepreneur and content creator, Marina Mogilko, explains how workers can build an advantage through AI systems, agents and “vibe coding.”
Mohamed Eissa, IFC Chief Investment Officer and Global Head of Venture Capital and Direct Technology Investments, examines how AI could transform businesses and create opportunities across emerging markets.
Sharat Raghavan, Director of Data Science and Research at LinkedIn, shares what their data reveals about changing jobs, rising skills and the future of career progression.

Timestamps
[00:00] Will AI make or take the next billion jobs?
[00:48] What Nairobi's tech community thinks
[02:51] Marina Mogilko on vibe coding and AI as opportunity
[05:06] AI and the future of content creation
[08:00] The top skill for an AI economy
[09:29] Introductions: Sharat Raghavan from LinkedIn and Mohamed Eissa from IFC
[13:04] Human skills and AI entrepreneurship
[14:40] AI opportunities in emerging markets
[16:25] Where jobs are growing
[17:25] AI for development: healthcare in Africa
[18:35] The changing career ladder
[21:44] AI disruption: reality or hype?
[25:27] AI, SMEs and the missing middle
[26:23] How to future-proof a career

What does knowledge mean in an age of AI, deepfakes, and disinformation? When information is everywhere, the real challenge is distinguishing insight from noise.
In this episode of the Development Podcast, host Toni Karasanyi explores how knowledge is evolving in a world where machines can generate convincing arguments and personalized realities shape how we consume information.
Tech journalist Jamie Bartlett, author of How to Talk to AI (And How Not To), explains how individuals can use AI tools without being misled — and why critical thinking matters more than ever.
Paschal Donohoe, the World Bank Group’s Managing Director and Chief Knowledge Officer, discusses how the Bank is turning more than 80 years of global development experience into practical knowledge that helps countries tackle challenges, including creating jobs and scale solutions in a fast-changing world.
Timestamps
[00:00] Is knowledge still power?
[03:10] How AI can alter our understanding of the world
[10:24] How we can use Large Language Models (LLMs) better
[13:32] Why results and evidence matter
[18:52] The future of AI in development

In development, big wins come from working together — building trust, sharing expertise, and bringing the right partners to the table.
In this episode of The Development Podcast, we explore why partnerships matter — from the teamwork and great duos we see in sport, to the coalitions needed to deliver results at scale.
We look at potential from a partnership with Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University (AAMU) — a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) and an 1890 land-grant institution with a long tradition of practical, community-focused problem-solving — and how AAMU’s expertise can connect to global development priorities, including Mission 300 and AgriConnect.
Join us as we hear from: Ambassador Roya Rahmani, Director, Global Engagement, World Bank Group; Dr. Daniel K. Wims, President, Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University; Ajay Banga, President, World Bank Group; and S.L. Price, sports journalist and author of The American Game: History and Hope in the Country of Lacrosse.
Timestamps
[00:00] Every great team, every unforgettable moment, starts with partnership
[00:50] S.L. Price, sports journalist on why partnerships matter in sport
[05:30] Some recent partnerships in health and energy
[07:34] Partnerships with academia and the legacy of HBCUs
[12:52] What Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University could bring to Mission 300
[18:04] Why agriculture matters and the potential of partnerships for AgriConnect

This year countries grappled with a cascade of shocks and economic turbulence, from ongoing conflicts and economic uncertainty to catastrophic weather that tested communities. Yet in the face of these challenges, nations proved far more resilient and adaptive than predicted.
In this episode of The Development Podcast, we look back at what shaped 2025 and look ahead to 2026 and beyond. As the global landscape rapidly shifts, we explore how Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) are adapting and how different parts of the World Bank Group, including the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), are working as one to maximize our development impact.
Join us for insights on these issues and more from Anna Bjerde, the World Bank's Managing Director of Operations and Raj Kumar, the founding President and Editor-in-Chief of Devex.
Timestamps
[00:00] Challenges and takeaways from 2025
[06:11] How development organizations are evolving and adapting
[12:27] What can we expect from 2026?
[16:26] Wish for the next year
[17:30] 2025 through the eyes of a Kenyan farmer
To learn more about the World Bank Group’s work check out: How to Drive Intelligent Outcomes in an Age of AI

Job creation is the north star for the World Bank Group. But how can we go about it in a way that has a truly catalytic impact? Impact in the sense of generating large numbers of jobs in a sustained way. The answer is to build ecosystems, where all elements interact and support each other.
In this episode of The Development Podcast, we get into the nuts and bolts of building jobs ecosystems. We unpack AgriConnect, a new initiative to transform small-scale farming into an engine of sustainable growth, jobs, and food security, and we discuss how technical innovations including “small-AI” can help make this vision a reality.
Join us as we hear from: Ajay Banga, President, World Bank Group; Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Nigeria; Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, Egypt; Bhaskar Chakravorti, Dean of Global Business, Fletcher School, Tufts University; Nidhi Pant, Co-founder of S4S Technologies; Chege Kirundi, Chairman of Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) Holdings Ltd and Mufasa, poet, actor, writer and teaching artist from Kenya
Timestamps
[00:00] Building ecosystems around job creation
[03:43] Creating jobs through tourism in Egypt
[05:53] The role of connectivity in Nigeria
[10:19] What is small AI and why does it matter?
[15:20] From subsistence to surplus farming
[22:19] "Farms do not just feed people they nourish communities" Mufasa
ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT PODCAST
This international development podcast brings together the data, research—and solutions—that can pave the way to a sustainable future. Through conversations focused on revealing the latest data, the best research, and cutting-edge solutions, let us introduce you to the folks working to make the world a better place. Listen and subscribe for free on your favorite platform. And rate our show! ;)
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ABOUT THE WORLD BANK
The World Bank is one of the world’s largest sources of funding and knowledge for low-income countries. Its five institutions share a commitment to reducing poverty, increasing shared prosperity, and promoting sustainable development.