Pinpointing where poverty is most severe and tracking its changes over time is crucial for helping communities effectively. However, traditional benchmarks like household surveys and national censuses often fall short—they’re expensive, slow, and infrequent. In countries like Sri Lanka, this means we’re often relying on outdated information, hindering our ability to respond to sudden economic shocks or disasters. On top of that, poverty cannot be determined by income data alone, rather its multidimensional, where factors such as infrastructure, access to services, and economic activity also play a role in determining a community’s well-being. To capture these complexities, our DAP team (Data, Algorithms, and Policy) explored something different: how to rethink the way we measure poverty in Sri Lanka using AI with non-traditional data sources? 
Pinpointing where poverty is most severe and tracking its changes over time is crucial for helping communities effectively. However, traditional benchmarks like household surveys and national censuses often fall short—they’re expensive, slow, and infrequent. In countries like Sri Lanka, this means we’re often relying on outdated information, hindering our ability to respond to sudden economic shocks or disasters. On top of that, poverty cannot be determined by income data alone, rather its multidimensional, where factors such as infrastructure, access to services, and economic activity also play a role in determining a community’s well-being. To capture these complexities, our DAP team (Data, Algorithms, and Policy) explored something different: how to rethink the way we measure poverty in Sri Lanka using AI with non-traditional data sources? 
The ‘Human Development and the Data Revolution’ report, edited by Mark Graham, Sanna Ojanperä, and Eduardo López and published by Oxford University Press features LIRNEasia as a significant case study, detailing our establishment, research, challenges, and lessons learned in leveraging big data for public good in the Global South. Through the Chapter 7 “Leveraging Big Data for Public Purposes in the Global South: LIRNEasiaʼs Experiences”, the report highlights how LIRNEasia has pioneered the use of big data across the Asia-Pacific, offering valuable real-world experiences and a critical Global South perspective on data-driven development. LIRNEasia Research fellow Shazna Zuhyle and former team members of LIRNEasia Sriganesh Lokanathan and Thavisha Perera-Gomez have contributed to this report as authors. For a more comprehensive understanding of our work and the impact on public policy, readers are encouraged to read the report, specifically the Chapter 7. 
By Nethmi Rajawasam In a recent interview with The Morning newspaper, LIRNEasia CEO Helani Galpaya discussed Sri Lanka’s progress in building digital public infrastructure, offering insights into innovative solutions and policy recommendations for enhancing government digital systems. Read the full interview to explore how Sri Lanka can leverage new approaches to achieve its digital ambitions. Before the United States’ US Digital Service (USDS) was renamed the United States DOGE Service (USDS)- in reference to the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency, the department was instrumental in improving government tech systems by bringing in private-sector expertise. Its recruits came from big-tech companies like Amazon and Google, for short, typically two-year long stints to work within public offices. The professionals ranged from engineers, product managers, and digital policy experts, recruited with the intent to help the government solve complex and technical challenges. 
LIRNEasia is looking for a talented individual to join the team as a Senior Researcher to drive impactful research. The full job description is available below. The deadline for applying is April 7, 2025. 
LIRNEasia has drafted a regional (Asia) report for the Global Index on Responsible AI (GIRAI) that focuses on responsible Artificial Intelligence in the Asia region, which is open for public review until April 13, 2025. This report, the final output a Global Center on AI Governance (GCG)-funded project, exists in three main parts: The first section examines where Asia stands in the Global Index, identifying key trends and regional patterns. The second section contextualizes these findings through in-depth national case studies, highlighting both best practices and governance gaps. The final section takes a forward-looking approach, identifying the key developments that will shape AI governance in the region. This report was authored by Merl Chandana and Sukitha Bandaranayake, with the India case study written by Anushka Jain and Aarushi Gupta. 
The following document is a summary of an upcoming regional report for the Global Index on Responsible AI (GIRAI) that focuses on responsible Artificial Intelligence in the Asia region. The broader report, to be released in April 2025 as the final output of a Global Center on AI Governance (GCG)-funded project, was authored by Merl Chandana and Sukitha Bandaranayake from LIRNEasia, with the India case study written by Anushka Jain and Aarushi Gupta (of Digital Futures Lab, India). Part II was co-authored by Merl Chandana, Sukitha Bandaranayake, and Ana Florido. The report containing global findings of the Index can be found here. 
LIRNEasia’s CEO Helani Galpaya, participated in the Canada-in-Asia 2025 (CAIC) Conference held in Singapore from February 19-21, 2025. The event, organized by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada and Universities Canada, brought together over 800 participants from across Canada and the Asia-Pacific region to discuss investment opportunities and strengthen ties between the two regions. The majority of attendees were from the private sector, though the conference also saw significant participation from Canada’s diplomatic corps in Asia, various Canadian government investment funds, and ministers from Asian countries. During the plenary session, Helani shared insights on research funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), a Canadian Crown Corporation that has supported key initiatives by LIRNEasia in the region. Her talk highlighted the impact of Canada’s development research investments across Asia, emphasizing IDRC’s proactive approach in funding. 
LIRNEasia participated in RightsCon 2025, the world’s largest gathering of digital rights leaders, held in Taipei and online from February 24 to 27, 2025. The event brought together business leaders, policymakers, human rights advocates, technologists, and academics to address the intersection of human rights and technology. As digital landscapes evolve, discussions at RightsCon focused on pressing issues such as data governance, AI regulation, and the future of work—topics that LIRNEasia’s CEO Helani Galpaya, and our Data, Algorithm, and Policy Team Lead Merl Chandana tackled in their panel contributions. Their insights highlighted the challenges facing the Global South and provided actionable strategies for policy and regulatory frameworks. “Information Ecosystems and Troubled Democracy: What Global Research Tells Us” CEO Helani Galpaya participated in two panels. 
සම්පූර්ණයෙන්ම ඩිජිටල්කරණය කරන ලද රජයේ ගෙවීම් පද්ධතියක් රජය, බදු ගෙවන්නන්, සහ බැංකු වැනි මූල්ය ආයතන ඇතුළු සැමට ජයග්රහණයක් වන්නේ මන්දැයි LIRNEasia සභාපති මහාචාර්ය රොහාන් සමරජීව මහතා The Leaderහි පළවූ ඔහුගේ නවතම සිංහල ලිපියේ පැහැදිලි කර ඇත. සම්පූර්ණ ලිපිය කියවන්න. The article has been published under Prof. Samarajiva’s column in the Daily Mirror in English. You can read the English version as well if you prefer. 
LIRNEasia is looking for a talented individual to join the team as the Communications Officer. The full job description is available below. The deadline for applying is 10th of March, 2025.
Educational Technology (EdTech) has significant potential to improve educational outcomes and address widening skill gaps across the Global South, with significant investments in the sector being made over the last decade. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated growth in the sector, with remote learning related technology being in high demand. EdTech presents a wealth of opportunities to enhance learning outcomes by augmenting traditional teaching methods, offering customized learning tools, and enabling more effective monitoring and evaluation through data-driven insights. The potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to revolutionize EdTech is vast—its impact is yet to be fully realized. Research shows that the impact of these investments on learning outcomes and education management has been inconsistent at best.
The first session of the journal club for 2025 focused on the working paper ‘Digital Public Infrastructure: A Framework for Conceptualization and Measurement’ by David Eaves and Krisstina Rao, published by the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (IIPP) on 27 January 2025. The paper aimed to conceptualize and measure digital public infrastructure (DPI), addressing its growing global policy relevance. Using a grounded theory approach, the study integrates insights from literature and expert interviews to offer two key contributions. A normative framework to trace the attributes of the concept, discussing its qualities in terms of technology, public-interest values, and the adoption context. A measurement framework to evaluate the presence of these attributes in real-world DPI implementations. 
In an insightful 50-minute discussion, Principal Presidential Advisor on Digital Economy Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya sat down with LIRNEasia Chair Prof. Rohan Samarajiva to share his insights on the key priorities and challenges in shaping the nation’s digital transformation. From bridging the country’s digital skills gap and fostering a thriving innovation ecosystem to implementing effective policy reforms, the conversation explores the steps needed to propel Sri Lanka into a competitive position on the global digital stage. Both experts bring a wealth of experience in technology, telecom, and policy, offering a thought-provoking dialogue on what it takes to drive meaningful change. 
As of 2025 DAY 33, the satellite tracking website “Orbiting Now” lists 11,559 active satellites in various Earth orbits, each with missions including communications, Earth observation, technology development, navigation, space science, etc. These satellites provide us with an unprecedented view of Earth, enabling real-time monitoring and granular data collection. From tracking deforestation in the Amazon to monitoring agriculture yields across different continents, these ‘eyes in the sky’ generate a massive volume of data that gives valuable information about our planet’s health and human activities that have changed the natural earth’s surface. However, this sheer volume and complexity of such data lead us to an exciting question: How can we harness artificial intelligence (AI) to make sense of this vast array of satellite imagery? Let’s explore this intersection of satellite imagery and AI, by understanding the unique characteristics of satellite data, the challenges in processing it, and the potential solutions with deep learning.
We are pleased to announce that the selection round of the Cycle 1 of FutureWORKS Asia has officially concluded. After a thorough review process, we have selected five grantees who proposed innovative and impactful projects that address critical challenges and opportunities in the future of work to make it more inclusive and sustainable in the Global South. These projects will not only contribute to shaping policies and practices in their respective contexts but also serve as the foundation for building an Asian network focused on this vital area of research. Here are the selected projects and their organizations for this first round of funding: Opportunity and Resilience in the Philippine Platform Labor Economy: Policy Imperatives for Skills Development and Social Protection Amid Climate and Technological Change by De La Salle University – Social Development Research Center (Philippines) Digital Disruption and Climate Stress: Assessing Impacts on Nursing Work and Charting a Resilient, Equitable, and Gender-Responsive Work Landscape by Women in Global Health – Philippines (WGH-Ph) The Care Economy Roadmap for Sri Lanka – Charting the Way Forward by Centre for Poverty Analysis (Sri Lanka) Gender Implications of Future of Work in South Asia: Insights from the Garment Manufacturing in Bangladesh and India by […]
The Internet Governance Forum Sri Lanka (IGF Sri Lanka) 2024 took place in Colombo in December 2024, marking a significant step in Sri Lanka’s journey toward inclusive and collaborative Internet governance. Hosted by the Lanka School of Internet Governance (LKSIG), this two-day event brought together policymakers, industry leaders, civil society, academics, and the technical community to discuss critical aspects of Internet policy, accessibility, and governance. A key session during the forum focused on bridging the digital divide and promoting digital inclusion for marginalized communities, particularly persons with disabilities (PWDs). Moderated by Prof. Anuradha Jayakody, Head of the Department of Computer Systems Engineering, the session provided a platform for thought leaders to share insights and strategies for equitable digital participation.