NYU’s Development Research Institute unites research, dialogue, and strategy to empower citizens, build resilient nations, and foster allied collaboration. With its Wahba Initiative, the Financial Access Initiative, Africa House, and others, DRI advances solutions at the crossroads of development, infrastructure, trade, technology, and geopolitics.
WISC Dialogues: ITU’s Dr. Bilel Jamoussi on Standards, Skills, and AI for Good
WISC Dialogues: ITU’s Dr. Bilel Jamoussi on Standards, Skills, and AI for Good
NYU WISC Dialogues: Dr. Bilel Jamoussi on Standards, Skills, and AI for Good In this WISC Dialogue, Mark Kennedy speaks with Dr. Bilel Jamoussi, Deputy Director of the ITU Telecommunication Standardization Bureau, at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Geneva about the role of international standards in shaping the global adoption of artificial intelligence. Dr. […]
Learn MoreBeyond the Frontier
Beyond the Frontier
When China unveiled its large language model DeepSeek in January 2025—trained using less powerful GPUs and significantly less computing power than the leading American models—it generated anxiety in Washington foreign policy circles. Commentators compared it to the “Sputnik moment” of the early Cold War space race, when U.S. policymakers were shocked that the Soviet Union had taken a […]
Learn MorePreparing Talent for the AI Economy: Perspectives from Three University Presidents
Preparing Talent for the AI Economy: Perspectives from Three University Presidents
New Publication | Preparing Talent for the AI Economy: Perspectives from Three University Presidents Building on the 2026 NYU AI and the Workforce Conference, this new publication brings together the perspectives of three university presidents on how higher education must adapt as artificial intelligence reshapes learning, work, and the skills students will need throughout their […]
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About DRI
NYU’s Development Research Institute and the Wahba Initiative with their partners, the Financial Access Initiative, Africa House, and the Center for Technology and Economic Development, bridge academic research and policy action to address today’s global challenges. From development to deterrence, we equip leaders with insight that spans economics, infrastructure, technology and alliances.
Development That Delivers Opportunity
Inclusive development underpins economic security. Advancing financial access, human capital, institutional trust, and entrepreneurship strengthens prosperity and expands opportunity in every region.
Learn MoreStrategic Infrastructure Finance
Infrastructure determines power—linking partners, powering compute, and enabling the flow of goods, energy, and data. The goal: systems that deploy quickly, attract capital, and expand choice.
Learn MoreProductive Capacity
Productive capacity must be resilient and scalable. Targeted production, diversified sourcing, and trade expansion reduce vulnerability while sustaining innovation, industrial strength, and competitiveness.
Learn MoreAI as a Systems Race
AI leadership is decisive. Open societies must compete across chips, compute, cloud, energy, data, and applications to ensure trusted, scalable systems prevail.
Learn MoreModernizing Alliances
To compete at scale and speed, alliances must evolve—aligning across technology, finance, production, and governance to convert shared capabilities into sustained advantage.
Learn MoreEvidence-Based Practice in Development Policy
Effective development policy must be grounded in rigorous evidence, not assumptions. Translating research into actionable strategies that work in real-world contexts helps governments, institutions, and communities make informed decisions that deliver measurable and lasting impact.
Learn MoreFinancial Access in a Growing World
The Financial Access Initiative conducts rigorous research on how low-income households use financial tools like savings, credit, insurance, and payments. Its work informs policies and product design that expand meaningful financial inclusion worldwide.
Learn MoreInsights
Timely analysis and commentary on development, geoeconomics, technology, and trade—helping decision-makers and scholars navigate the shifting landscape of global power and prosperity.
Events
High-impact convenings that connect researchers, policymakers, and global partners to shape coordinated responses to shared development and strategic challenges.
Experts
Meet the scholars, fellows, and practitioners advancing DRI’s work across domains. Their expertise spans academia, government, and industry.
Regions
Explore how development trends and strategic pressures intersect in key regions—from the Indo-Pacific to Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas.