Global Scans · Poverty · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Due to a deteriorating global economic outlook, more than 130 out of 189 countries will experience reduced income growth, with the average global GDP growth rate falling from 4.1 percent to 3.1 percent between 2011 and 2030. Almost all of the countries with large numbers remaining in extreme poverty in 2030 will be in sub-Saharan Africa or South Asia.

• [New] The European Commission will propose measures to strengthen the Child Guarantee by Q2 2026, in order to gear investments towards tackling child poverty. EPR
• [New] While 51 million people are projected to live in extreme poverty by 2030, billionaires grow richer than ever. Knowledge for policy
• [New] AI revolution benefits (productivity gains, medical breakthroughs, educational tools) will accrue overwhelmingly in the global North, widening inequality rather than bridging it. Tomorrow Is Possible
• [New] AI in 2026 will not be a technological issue: it will be an issue of political inequality. L'Europeista
• [New] If labour markets fail to absorb incoming populations efficiently, cities risk becoming poverty traps rather than engines of prosperity. Caliber.az
• [New] As Elon Musk forecasts explosive AI-driven growth, Mark Cuban warns of widening inequality reviving the robot tax debate over who really benefits from automation. Shark Tank Blog
• [New] Over the next six decades, the number of people could drastically fall as the world's poorest countries break free of poverty. The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com
• [New] Artificial intelligence could eliminate poverty. The Intercept
• [New] Over the next 20-50 years, healthcare will evolve from a sickness industry to a wellness ecosystem, powered by artificial intelligence, genomics, and a deep, continuous understanding of individual biology. Futurist Speaker on AI Leadership, Future of Work, Futu

Last updated: 16 January 2026