28 l THE CONVERGING TECHNOLOGY REVOLUTION AND HUMAN CAPITAL
technologies and AI-powered tools have altered this to a certain extent as global education technology (edtech) giants penetrate markets, and customization to local markets is increasingly made possible. Nevertheless, the deployment of technology tools tends to serve the higher-end consumers and elite educational institutions because of the high cost of services and connectivity and bandwidth requirements. Digital public platforms are a powerful means of reducing these inequalities. But beyond this, local innovations are needed to adapt technologies to local needs and provide them at an affordable cost. Such innovations are often constrained because few local firms have the technological capabilities, technical skills, capital, and incentives to undertake such innovations. Governments can thus play an important role in fostering and incentivizing the local private sector to adapt technologies for building human capital.
Unequal Digital Access in South Asia: Barriers to Equitable Deployment of Technology The tremendous opportunities provided by digital and converging technologies, including public platforms, cannot be exploited unless there is equitable digital access. Digital access should be understood in a broad sense, spanning affordable broadband connectivity and devices, availability of local language content, and the basic digital skills needed to utilize the technology. Access to electricity (or alternative energy sources) to power devices and access broadband must also be part of the solution. An important agenda for developing human capital in South Asia is therefore to advocate for bridging these divides to enable disadvantaged groups to benefit from service delivery and participate in the digital economy. In the short run, however, the most critical step is to ensure that the design of digital solutions, including the use of digital public platforms, takes into account adaptation of the final delivery mechanisms to the conditions faced by beneficiaries, such as lack of smartphones, lack of access to fixed broadband, lack of electricity, and limited digital skills and digital literacy. Gaps in last-mile connectivity and affordability. The “last mile,” an expression referring to the last segment of the journey of broadband connectivity to its recipient, is in effect the first mile in the delivery of human development services. The South Asia region is home to the largest number of people without an internet connection— nearly a billion people out of a worldwide total of 3.2 billion. Data supplied by mobile phone operators reveal the differences in broadband speed and coverage across countries. In Afghanistan, for example, 90 percent of the population has access only to 2G networks, and only 2 percent have access to 4G networks. In Sri Lanka, 4G networks cover 90 percent of the population. In all countries, internet access is mostly through mobile phones, which limits the delivery at the household or individual level of education services for remote teaching or self-learning and of health services that require