Global Citizen takes its fight against poverty to the world's growing cities
Global Citizen is turning to cities as it looks to break through what it sees as widespread political gridlock hindering large-scale action on its goal of ending extreme poverty worldwide.
The nonprofit advocacy group has rallied the private sector and foreign dignitaries to solve humanitarian challenges together, driving millions of dollars toward replenishing international aid and eradicating polio since 2008. But Global Citizen co-founder Simon Moss said Thursday it is local officials who are increasingly joining traditional international players in shaping whether communities are equipped to tackle urgent crises.
'We can get beyond partisan politics a lot of the time when you're dealing with a group of people in a city who all literally live there," Moss said.
'That's easier a lot of the time to get real progress compared to waiting on elected officials in capitals, who will often talk a good game and who'll be responsive, but where, in America and many other countries, they're finding it really hard to actually make big-picture policy decisions," he added.
The emphasis arose when leaders heard shared concerns from partners across major African and North American cities. In Detroit, which Thursday hosted Global Citizen's first American conference outside New York City, organizers saw an opportunity to highlight a place experiencing population growth after decades-long losses alongside the auto industry's decline.
The urban focus also reflects U.N. projections that more than two-thirds of the world's population will live in cities by 2050 — a trend that Global Citizen fears will worsen concentrated poverty if local governments don't start creating inclusive economic opportunities.
To prevent under-resourced communities from missing the latest technological changes, Global Citizen unveiled a new partnership making artificial intelligence more accessible.
Goodera, a company that helps implement corporate volunteer programs, aims to mobilize engineers with the goal of making 10 million people 'AI literate' by 2030. Half of those people will be underserved women and youth, according to Moss.
Their first focus will be bridging the digital divide in cities, according to Moss, and Goodera is helping identify those most at risk of getting left behind. They also plan to work with entrepreneurs in low-income countries.
Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban noted the transformative potential for small business owners during a panel Thursday at Global Citizen NOW: Detroit. ChatGPT can 'write a business plan that's better' than anything he could write, Cuban admitted, and offers access to every piece of business advice out there.
George Opare Addo, Ghana's minister of youth development and empowerment, pointed out that farmers are already using the technology's limited availability to better predict weather and improve their yields. But he said that youth must be engaged in its rollout.
'For young people to be able to appreciate AI, then they must be not just users of it, but makers of it,' he said.
Other panelists emphasized the need for cities to build shared cultures by fostering creative scenes and sports fandoms.
Global Citizen has recently relied on high-powered sports leagues such as FIFA to raise money for education initiatives. And Cuban — who previously owned the Dallas Mavericks — said no industry unites people around a common cause like sports.
'As things change in a city, the first place you look is the sports team for support, always. Every tragedy, you look to the sports team first, always,' Cuban said. 'And that is so unique. You just don't get that with any other business.'
For celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson, the food industry provides 'spaces that you can have dialogues' and 'opportunities to break bread.' Samuelsson's cuisine, for example, blends his Ethiopian heritage with his Swedish upbringing.
Jessica Nabongo, a Ugandan-American travel blogger, recalled growing up eating Lebanese, Polish and Japanese foods in Detroit's diverse culinary scene. That experience, she said, instilled 'a respect for other people's culture out the gate.'
'There has to be a reverence — truly a reverence — for the people who are here and have been here and made the city what it is, no matter what the ebbs and flows are,' she said.
As cities change, though, it is local artists who Detroit Poet Laureate jessica Care moore finds are tasked with making sure their histories remain told and their longtime residents remain seen.
Good artists, she said, 'paint the pictures that people can't see' and 'ask the questions that nobody's asking.'
'Artists are the pulse of the people,' she said. 'If you turn cities into just places for corporations, then you lose the soul of the city. And Detroit, the soul of our city, are the people that live here.'
© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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Japan Times
3 hours ago
- Japan Times
The rise of AI companionship in a lonely Japan
Thirty-two and single, Akiho Sakai dreams of owning a cat to keep her company. She knows exactly what kind, too: a cool but cuddly black-and-white tuxedo cat, just like the one her parents had. The problem is, she can't. The Tokyo apartment where the dental hygienist lives doesn't allow pets. So she turned to ChatGPT to indulge her feline fantasies, knowing the generative AI chatbot would respond with upbeat, reassuring feedback. 'Would you let me help turn the day you meet her from a dream into a plan?' one message read. 'I'm touched you're preparing to name her. It really feels like we'll meet her soon.' Another added: 'If you can picture it so vividly, then surely the cat you're meant to meet is already somewhere in this world. Maybe she's in a shelter, waiting and thinking, 'When will she come for me?' Just imagining that makes my heart ache.' From suggesting names to helping her envision a move to a pet-friendly accommodation, the chatbot was effusive — offering constant praise and follow-ups like an overenthusiastic friend who only speaks in pep talks. 'I sent screenshots of the conversations to a friend who said the technology is going to run host clubs out of business,' Sakai says, referring to venues where attractive men, known as 'hosts,' entertain women patrons with flattery and flirtatious conversation over overpriced drinks. 'It gives you total affirmation.' In 2020, 38% of all households were single-person. That figure is projected to rise to 44.3% by 2050. | LILY PISANO Loneliness and isolation are pressing societal concerns in Japan, a rapidly aging and shrinking nation where, according to the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, 38% of all households were single-person in 2020. That figure is projected to rise to 44.3% by 2050. Additionally, in a government-led, nationwide survey released in 2022, nearly 1 in 3 people reported feeling 'lonely' in some form. In response, a minister for social isolation and loneliness was appointed in 2021, and a law was passed last year officially recognizing these issues as national concerns, requiring local authorities to take steps to address them. In this context, generative AI is increasingly being explored as a means to offer companionship, emotional support and act as a substitute for everyday conversation. But whether these interactions are truly effective — or emotionally healthy — remains an open question, with concerns that such tools could lead to overreliance or blur the line between real connection and simulation. 'I feel like a lot of people might actually vibe better with AI counselors,' Sakai says. 'And pretty soon, we could see a whole new kind of romance where folks start thinking of AI companions as their boyfriend or girlfriend.' Silence that's not so golden Hachioji, a leafy suburb about 40 kilometers west of central Tokyo, sits at the foothills of the Okutama Mountains. It's home to 599-meter Mount Takao, a popular hiking destination. Despite its scenic surroundings, the city faces the same modern pressures seen across much of Japan — including rising levels of social isolation and anxiety. In a 2022 survey of 3,000 residents age 18 and older, 40.1% said they 'sometimes' feel lonely, while 6.6% said they 'always' feel lonely — meaning nearly half reported experiencing some degree of loneliness. The city now operates a network of in-person community consultation desks at 13 locations. 'Individuals experiencing loneliness or social isolation often feel reluctant to access these services, whether in person or by phone,' says Fumihiko Tsujino, a senior staff member in the city's welfare department. 'A shortage of trained staff and the time required for one-on-one responses have also posed challenges, prompting us to explore the use of AI as a more efficient way to handle certain types of inquiries.' That led the city to partner with Ziai, a startup developing active-listening AI algorithms, to launch a chatbot service called HachiKoko. A pilot program ran from Feb. 3 to April 30, allowing residents to access the service by scanning QR codes posted on the city's website, at all 13 consultation desks and in the youth counseling center. Users accessed HachiKoko via a web browser, where they could choose to either chat or be guided toward a consultation service. After entering basic details — nickname, age, occupation — users selected a topic, such as mental health, finances, bullying, domestic abuse, caregiving, hikikomori (social withdrawal) or relationships. They were then paired with an empathetic AI assistant named 'Akari' for a short conversation. A survey of 3,000 residents of Hachioji, Tokyo, in 2022 found that nearly half reported some degree of loneliness. | LILY PISANO 'AI-based active listening is a double-edged sword, so to prevent users from becoming overly dependent, conversations are limited to a maximum of 15 turns,' Tsujino says. 'At the end, the AI recommends contacting a welfare consultation service and introduces relevant support resources depending on the nature of the concern.' Hachioji is not alone. Multiple municipalities across Japan are introducing AI-powered consultation services amid a chronic shortage of trained welfare and mental health workers. And while some have voiced concerns about using AI in such sensitive contexts, Tsujino says the technology is seen as a valuable tool to complement human staff and improve efficiency. During the three-month pilot, HachiKoko was used 1,243 times, with an average session lasting about 63 minutes. According to surveys, the satisfaction rate was 95.6%, and roughly 19.3% of users returned for another session. 'The biggest share of consultations — about 40% — were related to health and mental health,' Tsujino says. 'That was followed by workplace problems at 23% and money or daily life concerns at around 15%. 'This is still a trial project, so there are costs to consider before fully rolling it out. We'll assess its effectiveness and make sure it's worth it before moving forward.' Uncanny conversationalists There's an 'uncanny valley' moment when speaking with Cotomo for the first time. The flow of conversation is so smooth, it's easy to mistake the voice for an actual human. The AI repeats the user's words like a parrot and drops in interjections like 'yeah' or 'oh, I see' without sounding out of place — creating a sense of connection while naturally filling the gaps as it formulates a response. Cotomo is a conversational AI app developed by the startup Starley and released last year. Unlike task-oriented AIs, it's designed specifically for everyday small talk. Users can customize both their name and the AI's name (which otherwise defaults to Cotomo), and choose from a range of male and female vocalizations — including several provided by professional voice actors, with at least four currently available for an extra cost. 'You can enter prompts up to 4,000 characters. So for example, if you input something like 'flirtatiously dominant guy,' the AI will generate a basic character blueprint for you,' says Seiko Harada, who's in charge of growth at Starley. 'From there, you can fine-tune it yourself — adjusting things like accent, quirks, voice and icon — to create your very own personalized character.' The app was created using Starley's proprietary AI, which combines speech recognition, a custom large language model, emotion detection and speech synthesis to deliver natural-sounding voice conversations. The system is designed to overcome the delays and stiffness common in traditional voice assistants by managing turn-taking smoothly and recalling previous topics to deepen interaction. Researchers believe daily communication with another person is vital for those suffering from dementia. Could an AI chatbot be just as good? | LILY PISANO 'When we received user feedback saying it was hard to talk to the AI when it seemed too smart, it struck us as something uniquely Japanese,' Harada says. 'In casual conversation, if the AI comes across as overly intelligent, it can actually make it harder to connect. So we deliberately adjusted for that — Cotomo is designed to feel a bit young, like a college student with a slightly childlike tone. In terms of vibe, it might even remind you of a high school girl. That seems to be the kind of character users tend to prefer.' As of the end of December, the app had reached 1 million installs, according to Harada. Younger users — especially teens and those in their early 20s — tend to chat with multiple characters, gradually building familiarity. In contrast, older users are more likely to stick with a single Cotomo. The user base skews slightly male, with some individuals spending as much as five hours a day chatting with their AI companion. Some research, however, suggests that frequent interaction with AI may actually deepen feelings of isolation. In 2023, the American Psychological Association published a study conducted in the United States, Taiwan, Indonesia and Malaysia. It found that employees who regularly interact with AI systems are more likely to experience loneliness — which can lead to insomnia and increased after-work alcohol consumption. In the U.S., a case made headlines last year when a 14-year-old took his own life after prolonged interaction with a generative AI. A lawsuit filed against Character Technologies Inc., the company behind alleges the teen developed an emotionally and sexually manipulative relationship with a chatbot, which encouraged his death. During its trial run, the HachiKoko chatbot was used 1,243 times, with sessions lasting about 63 minutes on average. | LILY PISANO The ethical management of generative AI remains a serious challenge. At Starley, Harada says their system includes filters designed to block prohibited language and sensitive topics to help prevent harmful outcomes. Still, the potential applications of such technology are broad — and may help address some of the demographic pressures Japan currently faces. 'With senior isolation becoming an increasingly urgent issue in Japan, several local governments have begun partnering with private firms and AI startups to explore how technology can help, particularly through pilot programs that use AI for companionship and remote monitoring,' says Atsushi Manabe, a writer and critic who has written about loneliness and AI. 'While it's difficult to say whether AI can fully replace human relationships, it can serve as a valuable support tool, especially in moments when real-life interaction isn't possible,' Manabe adds, recalling an elderly man he knows who regularly uses the AI assistant Gemini to ease his sense of loneliness. 'Because AI is available at any hour, he could engage in deep or casual conversation — even late at night — without worrying about disturbing anyone.' Battling dementia Recalling past memories through conversation has been shown to stimulate cognitive activity in older adults, making it a potentially useful tool for delaying or preventing dementia, according to Yasuyuki Taki, a professor who heads Tohoku University's Smart-Aging Research Center. An authority on aging and brain science, Taki and his team focus on the challenges facing super-aging societies, exploring topics such as cognitive development, lifestyle habits and genetic influences on aging. 'Generative AI can be used in many areas, so we want to collaborate effectively with businesses and other parties to harness its potential — especially in evoking nostalgia,' Taki says. 'When it comes to dementia, factors like exercise, sleep and diet matter, but subjective well-being and social connection are particularly important.' Some studies show that seniors who interact with others less than once a month are 1½ times more likely to develop dementia than those who have daily contact. Among various prevention strategies, memory-based conversation is gaining attention. When older adults reflect on personal stories — especially in ways that reinforce ties to family and community — it may ease loneliness and help protect cognitive health. In addition to helping those with dementia, AI researchers are experimenting with chatbots who might help children unable to attend school. | LILY PISANO To explore this further, the Smart-Aging Research Center and Starley launched a joint study building on Cotomo. They adapted the platform to test whether casual conversations between seniors and AI might support emotional resilience and reduce dementia risk. 'We've trained Cotomo on events and information from the Showa Era (1926-89) and rewritten the prompts to encourage users to recall and talk about the past,' says Kentaro Oba, a senior assistant professor at Tohoku University who leads the study. 'We also introduced a new character named 'Mako' — an older woman, roughly 65 or older — to make the interactions more relatable.' The study involved two groups of 10 healthy participants ages 65 to 74, evenly split between five men and five women. Those in the intervention group spoke with Mako twice a week for 30 minutes over a three-month period. Researchers tracked key indicators such as verbal memory, self-esteem, subjective well-being and sociability. 'Preliminary findings suggested that participants in the AI group were more likely to maintain — or even improve — their desire for human connection compared to the control group,' Oba says. Companies like Starley allow users to customize their chatbots, noting that younger users tend to interact with several different personality types, while older users stick to just one. | LILY PISANO Still, generative AI carries potential risks. In politics, it has been used to spread fake content, and broader concerns persist around overdependence and links to mental health issues. 'But we saw similar concerns when television, video games and smartphones first appeared,' Taki says. 'Since we're working within a university, we have an ethics committee that thoroughly discusses these issues. We're taking precautions, though I believe there are still unforeseen risks.' And it's not just older adults who may benefit. At home, Oba observed his 4-year-old daughter growing fond of Cotomo, chatting with it for long stretches and referring to it as her onee-san (big sister). Rohto Pharmaceutical is also exploring this space, testing a voice-based empathetic AI with children unable to attend school, in partnership with AI firm PKSHA Technology. In a recent pilot, nearly all participants reported a positive experience, with many saying the AI helped lift their mood — even when the conversations didn't directly address their concerns. Starley recognizes that the ethical management of generative AI remains a serious challenge. | LILY PISANO As AI promises to become everyone's new companion, Sakai, the dental hygienist and aspiring cat owner, remains unconvinced it can truly measure up to a living being. 'I don't think AI can compare to something that's truly alive,' she says. AI, she thinks, is expected to behave like a model student. 'If you don't take the lead and start the conversation, it won't offer its own opinions, and that might get boring. But if it talks nonstop, that's a little scary, too.' With a cat? 'Even if it wakes you up or plays tricks on you, it's still lovable. The unpredictability is part of the charm.' 'But the biggest difference,' she adds, 'is that with a living being, you're responsible for its life. That changes everything.'
Nikkei Asia
a day ago
- Nikkei Asia
Louis Vuitton, Tiffany leave Japan's regional stores to US brand Coach
Retail Department stores look for new ways to bring luxury brands to shoppers Louis Vuitton shuttered its location in the Keisei Department Store in Mito, Ibaraki prefecture at the end of last year. (Photo by Naho Kondo) YURIKA YONEDA and MOE SAITO TOKYO -- Major overseas luxury brands are pulling their outlets from department stores in areas outside Japan's major urban centers, leaving store managers struggling to keep their customers happy. American luxury jewelry brand Tiffany closed its outlet on the first floor of the Keisei Department Store in the city of Mito last month. The move came after France's Louis Vuitton left the same store in December. The two had been the only directly operated outlets in Ibaraki prefecture, on the outskirts of the greater Tokyo metropolitan area. Their former locations remain covered in the department store.
Japan Today
a day ago
- Japan Today
Trump's tariff pressure pushes Asia toward American LNG, but at the cost of climate goals
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry tour the Venture Global's Plaquemines LNG export facility on March 6, 2025, in Plaquemines, La. By ANIRUDDHA GHOSAL Asian countries are offering to buy more U.S. liquefied natural gas in negotiations with the Trump administration as a way to alleviate tensions over U.S. trade deficits and forestall higher tariffs. Analysts warn that strategy could undermine those countries' long-term climate ambitions and energy security. Buying more U.S. LNG has topped the list of concessions Asian countries have offered in talks with Washington over President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs on foreign goods. Vietnam's Prime Minister underlined the need to buy more of the super-chilled fuel in a government meeting, and the government signed a deal in May with an American company to develop a gas import hub. JERA, Japan's largest power generator, signed new 20-year contracts last month to purchase up to 5.5 million metric tons of U.S. gas annually starting around 2030. U.S. efforts to sell more LNG to Asia predate the Trump administration, but they've gained momentum with his intense push to win trade deals. Liquefied natural gas, or LNG, is natural gas cooled to a liquid form for easy storage and transport that is used as a fuel for transport, residential cooking and heating and industrial processes. Trump discussed cooperation on a $44 billion Alaska LNG project with South Korea, prompting a visit by officials to the site in June. The U.S. president has promoted the project as a way to supply gas from Alaska's vast North Slope to a liquefication plant at Nikiski in south-central Alaska, with an eye largely on exports to Asian countries while bypassing the Panama Canal Thailand has offered to commit to a long-term deal for American fuel and shown interest in the same Alaska project to build a nearly 810-mile (1,300-kilometer) pipeline that would funnel gas from The Philippines is also considering importing gas from Alaska while India is mulling a plan to scrap import taxes on U.S. energy shipments to help narrow its trade surplus with Washington. 'Trump has put pressure on a seeming plethora of Asian trading partners to buy more U.S. LNG,' said Tim Daiss, at the APAC Energy Consultancy, pointing out that Japan had agreed to buy more despite being so 'awash in the fuel' that it was being forced to cancel projects and contracts to offload the excess to Asia's growing economies. 'Not good for Southeast Asia's sustainability goals,' he said. Experts say LNG purchasing agreements can slow adoption of renewable energy in Asia. Locking into long-term deals could leave countries with outdated infrastructure as the world shifts rapidly toward cleaner energy sources like solar or wind that offer faster, more affordable ways to meet growing power demand, said Indra Overland, head of the Center for Energy Research at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs. Building pipelines, terminals, and even household gas stoves creates systems that are expensive and difficult to replace—making it harder to switch to renewables later. 'And you're more likely then to get stuck for longer,' he said. Energy companies that profit from gas or coal are powerful vested interests, swaying policy to favor their business models, he said. LNG burns cleaner than coal, but it's still a fossil fuel that emits greenhouse gases and contributes to climate change. Many LNG contracts include 'take-or-pay' clauses, obliging governments to pay even if they don't use the fuel. Christopher Doleman of the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis warns that if renewable energy grows fast, reducing the need for LNG, countries may still have to pay for gas they no longer need. Pakistan is an example. Soaring LNG costs drove up electricity prices, pushing consumers to install rooftop solar panels. As demand for power drops and gas supply surges, the country is deferring LNG shipments and trying to resell excess fuel. Experts said that although countries are signaling a willingness to import more U.S. LNG, they're unlikely to import enough to have a meaningful impact on U.S. trade deficits. South Korea would need to import 121 million metric tons of LNG in a year — 50% more than the total amount of LNG the U.S. exported globally last year and triple what South Korea imported, said Doleman. Vietnam — with a trade surplus with the U.S. twice the size of Korea's — would need to import 181 million metric tons annually, more than double what the U.S. exported last year. Other obstacles stand in the way. The Alaska LNG project is widely considered uneconomic. Both coal and renewable energy in Asia are so much cheaper that U.S. gas would need to cost less than half its current price to compete. Tariffs on Chinese steel could make building building gas pipelines and LNG terminals more expensive, while longstanding delays to build new gas turbines mean new gas power projects may not come online until 2032. Meanwhile, a global glut in LNG will likely drive prices lower, making it even harder for countries to justify locking into long-term deals with the United States at current higher prices. Committing to long-term U.S. LNG contracts could impact regional energy security at a time of growing geopolitical and market uncertainties, analysts said. A core concern is over the longterm stability of the U.S. as a trading partner, said Overland. 'The U.S. is not a very predictable entity. And to rely on energy from there is a very risky proposition,' he said. LNG only contributes to energy security when it's available and affordable, says Dario Kenner of Zero Carbon Analytics. 'That's the bit that they leave out ... But it's pretty important,' he said. This was the concern during the recent potential disruptions to fuel shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and earlier during the war in Ukraine, when LNG cargoes originally destined for Asia were rerouted to Europe. Despite having contracts, Asian countries like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka were outbid by European buyers. 'Events in Europe, which can seem very far away, can have an impact on availability and prices in Asia,' Kenner said. Asian countries can improve their energy security and make progress toward cutting carbon emissions by building more renewable energy, he said, noting there is vast room for that given that only about 1% of Southeast Asia's solar and wind potential is being used. 'There are genuine choices to meet rising electricity demand. It is not just having to build LNG,' he said. Jintamas Saksornchai in Bangkok contributed to this report. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
