Title: Empowering Mongolia's Nomadic Herders with AI: A Pioneering Woman's Vision
In a compelling introduction, Battsengel, the founder of AI Academy Asia, explained why she's so passionate about digital inclusion in Mongolia, a country sandwiched between Russia and China with 3.5 million inhabitants, 30% of whom are nomadic herders. The organization aims to educate 500 teachers to provide AI education to rural communities, with an official launch event set for January 27.
Battsengel highlighted the digital divide between Internet-connected individuals and those without, emphasizing that 2.2 billion children and young people worldwide lack internet access at home. In Mongolia, about 84% of the population uses the Internet, but Battsengel expressed concerns about how the benefits of AI could be skewed to favor countries with financial might for research and development.
Battsengel shared her experiences in combating digital inequality in Mongolia. After moving from a rural community to the country's capital at age 10, she faced bullying and threw herself into her studies, eventually becoming the first Vice Minister of Digital Development at 29. In this role, she spearheaded initiatives like "E-Mongolia," allowing rural residents to access services like renewing passports and filing taxes online instead of traveling long distances.
In 2021, Battsengel founded Girls Code, an organization that provides coding bootcamps and mentoring to girls from disadvantaged communities. Girls Code has produced 120 graduates who have gone on to study at prestigious universities and create tech startups. With AI Academy Asia, Battsengel aims to expand this work, hoping to share AI knowledge with more boys and girls in rural areas to help them excel in the tech industry.
According to the World Economic Forum Future of Jobs report 2025, technological change and demographic shifts are expected to generate 78 million new jobs by 2030, with significant growth in technology, data, and AI. However, drafting national AI strategies tailored to local challenges is essential for ensuring the benefits of AI are shared equally.
By teaching practical AI skills, Battsengel envisions herders in Mongolia better prepared for extreme weather conditions, like dzud, which caused significant livestock loss in the past. With digital literacy, herders could predict weather patterns and manage livestock more efficiently.
In addressing these challenges, strategies like establishing digital training facilities, developing customized curriculum and training modules, creating community-based digital hubs, deploying mobile units for digital literacy, integrating digital literacy into local education, and focusing on women's digital empowerment could significantly impact rural communities. These initiatives could improve herders' access to information, enhance economic opportunities, and promote sustainable practices.
The business strategy of AI Academy Asia revolves around educating 500 teachers to provide AI education in rural communities, aiming to bridge the digital divide and equip the populace with necessary skills for the tech industry. Battsengel believes that implementing digital literacy programs in rural Mongolia, such as predicting extreme weather conditions and managing livestock more efficiently, can have significant business implications, boosting sustainability and economic opportunities.
