China’s delivery economy has exploded since the pandemic. With more and more purchases just a fingertip away, the convenience of the delivery apps has enticed shoppers and drivers alike. But with the change in shopping habits, the tough conditions faced by the gig workers that keep the system running have become more prominent.
The China that is reemerging onto the world stage after its multiyear pandemic shutdown is very different than the one that launched the Belt and Road Initiative a decade ago. Beijing seems interested in reshaping its role as an international development partner. The results of those efforts could transform global development itself.
In the U.S. and Europe, the rapid emergence of AI applications like ChatGPT has catalyzed a debate over their implications for the future of work. These concerns are far lower down on Latin America’s agenda. But in a region of stark economic inequality, AI threatens to exacerbate that divide and the political tensions that come with it.
