Some of the world’s most important AI stories over the next decade will not begin in Silicon Valley. They will begin in emerging markets, where artificial intelligence has the potential to address real everyday challenges, expand access to opportunity and accelerate inclusive economic growth.
Take Bangladesh, home to one of South Asia’s youngest populations and one of the region’s fastest-growing digital economies. Bangladesh has all the ingredients to become a leader in AI-powered innovation.
The country’s entrepreneurial energy, rising smartphone adoption, digital and financial inclusion ambitions create a unique opportunity to demonstrate how AI can move beyond experimentation to deliver meaningful impact at scale.
This is precisely why Bangladesh has become one of the most compelling examples of AI1440, VEON’s vision of bringing artificial intelligence into every minute of our customers’ daily lives. VEON, our parent company headquartered in Dubai, is a NASDAQ-listed global digital operator serving millions of customers across emerging markets.
Around the world, governments are developing national AI strategies, businesses are embedding AI into every aspect of their operations, and investors are committing unprecedented resources to accelerate innovation. Yet one fundamental question remains: Will AI narrow the global opportunity gap, or widen it?
Much of today’s AI conversation is centred on the world’s largest economies, technology companies and most widely spoken languages. But the greatest opportunity lies elsewhere. Billions of people in emerging markets stand to benefit from AI that understands their languages, reflects their cultures and solves the challenges they face every day.
At Banglalink, we believe the future of AI will not be determined only in Silicon Valley. It will also be shaped in Bangladesh.
Several years ago, VEON introduced its Digital Operator 1440 strategy, transforming from a traditional telecommunications company into a digital operator delivering financial services, education, healthcare, entertainment and enterprise solutions throughout the 1,440 minutes that make up every day.
AI1440 is the next chapter of that evolution.
AI is not simply another technology layer. We believe it will become the intelligence powering every digital experience.
Rather than using AI solely to automate processes or improve efficiency, we see it as a trusted companion that helps people learn faster, make better decisions, become more productive and unlock new opportunities. That is why we see AI not as artificial intelligence but as augmented intelligence.
Whether someone is building a career, running a business, preparing for an examination, accessing healthcare or managing their finances, AI should enhance human capability rather than replace it. Our ambition is simple: to help every customer become a better version of themselves, every minute of every day.
Achieving this vision requires more than deploying advanced AI models. AI must be built around people. It must understand local languages, cultures, and aspirations. It must be responsible, trustworthy and accessible.
Through Banglalink, we are building an AI-powered digital ecosystem that extends far beyond connectivity. Our ambition is to make artificial intelligence practical, accessible and relevant for millions of Bangladeshis by embedding it into the services they use every day. Instead of asking people to adapt to AI, we are designing AI around their everyday aspirations.
This philosophy comes to life through RYZE, Bangladesh’s first AI-powered digital lifestyle brand for youth. More than simply an AI application, RYZE is an ecosystem that helps young people prepare for the future by combining AI with learning, creativity, productivity and career development.
Banglalink is also embedding AI across its broader digital ecosystem through AI-powered customer engagement, network management, intelligent digital assistants and personalised digital experiences that make services faster, simpler and more intuitive. AI is no longer a future concept. It is becoming part of everyday life.
No company can achieve this vision alone. Governments, technology companies, educators, developers and investors all have a shared responsibility to build AI ecosystems that are open, secure and inclusive.
Ultimately, the success of artificial intelligence should not be measured by the number of parameters in a model or the scale of computing infrastructure. It should be measured by the opportunities it creates, the barriers it removes and the lives it improves.
Because the true promise of AI is not simply to build smarter technology. It is to empower people, strengthen communities, accelerate inclusive growth and, ultimately, make a better life for all.
The writer is the chief corporate and regulatory affairs officer of Banglalink. Views expressed are solely those of the author.
