From information gaps to global access — how AI is reshaping the pursuit of knowledge.
Updated
January 8, 2026 6:33 PM
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Paper cut-outs of robots sitting on a pile of books. PHOTO: FREEPIK
Encyclopaedias have always been mirrors of their time — from heavy leather-bound volumes in the 19th century to Wikipedia’s community-edited pages online. But as the world’s information multiplies faster than humans can catalogue it, even open platforms struggle to keep pace. Enter Botipedia, a new project from INSEAD, The Business School for the World, that reimagines how knowledge can be created, verified and shared using artificial intelligence.
At its core, Botipedia is powered by proprietary AI that automates the process of writing encyclopaedia entries. Instead of relying on volunteers or editors, it uses a system called Dynamic Multi-method Generation (DMG) — a method that combines hundreds of algorithms and curated datasets to produce high-quality, verifiable content. This AI doesn’t just summarise what already exists; it synthesises information from archives, satellite feeds and data libraries to generate original text grounded in facts.
What makes this innovation significant is the gap it fills in global access to knowledge. While Wikipedia hosts roughly 64 million English-language entries, languages like Swahili have fewer than 40,000 articles — leaving most of the world’s population outside the circle of easily available online information. Botipedia aims to close that gap by generating over 400 billion entries across 100 languages, ensuring that no subject, event or region is overlooked.
"We are creating Botipedia to provide everyone with equal access to information, with no language left behind", says Phil Parker, INSEAD Chaired Professor of Management Science, creator of Botipedia and holder of one of the pioneering patents in the field of generative AI. "We focus on content grounded in data and sources with full provenance, allowing the user to see as many perspectives as possible, as opposed to one potentially biased source".
Unlike many generative AI tools that depend on large language models (LLMs), Botipedia adapts its methods based on the type of content. For instance, weather data is generated using geo-spatial techniques to cover every possible coordinate on Earth. This targeted, multi-method approach helps boost both the accuracy and reliability of what it produces — key challenges in today’s AI-driven content landscape.
Additionally, the innovation is also energy-efficient. Its DMG system operates at a fraction of the processing power required by GPU-heavy models like ChatGPT, making it a sustainable alternative for large-scale content generation.
By combining AI precision, linguistic inclusivity and academic credibility, Botipedia positions itself as more than a digital library — it’s a step toward universal, unbiased access to verified knowledge.
"Botipedia is one of many initiatives of the Human and Machine Intelligence Institute (HUMII) that we are establishing at INSEAD", says Lily Fang, Dean of Research and Innovation at INSEAD. "It is a practical application that builds on INSEAD-linked IP to help people make better decisions with knowledge powered by technology. We want technologies that enhance the quality and meaning of our work and life, to retain human agency and value in the age of intelligence".
By harnessing AI to bridge gaps of language, geography and credibility, Botipedia points to a future where access to knowledge is no longer a privilege, but a shared global resource.
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Structured AI interviews and human judgment combine to address the global talent shortage
Updated
April 1, 2026 8:56 AM
ManpowerGroup World Headquarters in Milwaukee. PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK
As hiring pressures mount across global markets, ManpowerGroup is turning to technology to strengthen how it connects people to work. The workforce solutions major has announced a global partnership with Hubert, a startup focused on AI-driven structured interviews. The aim is simple: make hiring faster and fairer, without removing the human touch.
ManpowerGroup has spent decades operating at the center of the global labor market. The company works with employers across industries to fill roles, manage workforce planning and build talent pipelines. With millions of placements each year, it has a clear view of how strained hiring has become. A large share of employers today report difficulty finding skilled talent. At the same time, candidates expect more transparency, quicker feedback and flexibility in how they engage with employers.
Hubert enters this picture as a specialist in structured digital interviewing. The startup has built tools that allow candidates to complete interviews online, at any time, while being assessed against consistent criteria. Instead of relying on informal screening calls or resume filters, its system focuses on standardized questions tied directly to job requirements. The idea is to bring more consistency to early-stage hiring.
The partnership brings these capabilities into ManpowerGroup’s global operations. AI-powered interviews will now support the first stage of screening, helping recruiters identify qualified candidates earlier in the process. This does not replace recruiters. Final decisions and contextual judgment remain with experienced hiring professionals. What changes is the speed and structure of the initial assessment.
For employers, this could mean earlier visibility into job-ready talent and less time spent on manual screening. For candidates, it offers more flexibility. A significant portion of interviews on Hubert’s platform are completed outside regular office hours, allowing applicants to engage when it suits them. That flexibility can make a difference in competitive labor markets where timing matters.
The collaboration is also positioned as a step toward reducing bias. By evaluating each candidate against the same transparent standards, the process becomes more consistent. While no system can remove bias entirely, structured assessments can reduce the variability that often comes with unstructured interviews.
At its core, the partnership addresses a gap many large organizations are facing. They need scale and speed, but they cannot afford to lose the human judgment that good hiring depends on. Manual processes are too slow. Fully automated systems can feel impersonal and risky. ManpowerGroup’s approach suggests a middle path, where technology handles repetition and structure and recruiters focus on potential and fit.
The move also reflects a broader shift in the workforce industry. AI is no longer being tested on the sidelines. It is being built into the foundation of hiring operations. For established players like ManpowerGroup, the challenge is not whether to adopt AI, but how to do so responsibly and at scale.
By working with Hubert, the company is signaling that the future of recruitment will likely blend structured digital tools with human expertise. In a market defined by talent shortages and rising expectations, that balance may prove critical.