This week, Lindsey DeWitt Prat, PhD, Bold Insight Director and AIFOD Senior Fellow, will moderate the virtual panel, Small language models at the edge, hosted by the AI for Developing Countries Forum (AIFOD). Panelists will discuss how lightweight AI tools can lower the cost of deploying AI and work even in areas with unreliable internet. They’ll also explore how these tools can protect local data and help developing countries become leaders in AI, not just users. 

The session will bring together global AI experts Claudia Jacy Barenco Abbas, PhD, from the University of Brasilia and C9TECH, Chris Golias, PhD, from Google DeepMind and Gemini, Henry Wang from SmartMesh.io and LingoAI.io, and Ernest Mwebaze from Sunbird AI. The group will discuss how developing countries can leverage the convergence of small language models (SLMs) and edge computing to achieve technological autonomy despite resource limitations.  

Earlier this year, DeWitt Prat presented at the AI for Developing Countries Forum 2025 Geneva Summit, sharing insights from her collaborative AI research in Africa, led by Bold Insight, Mantaray Africa, and Google. 

The panel will take place on Saturday, April 26, 13:00–14:00 CET. Visit the event website to learn more.  

About AI for Developing Countries Forum
AIFOD is a pioneering global initiative bridging the AI accessibility gap between developed and developing nations. Founded in 2023, the Forum unites tech innovators, academics, and humanitarian workers to democratize artificial intelligence technologies worldwide.  

About Bold Insight
Bold Insight is a UX and human factors research agency based in Chicago and London. We execute projects that span the product development life cycle, conducting user research that informs early product design and global human factors validation. We work with digital, next-generation technology—medical devices, mobile apps, IFUs, and customer journeys. Learn more about our AI expertise.