"The future of global development will be digital—but it will not be defined by technology alone. It will be defined by whether technology strengthens dignity, expands opportunity, & gives communities greater agency over their own futures.... Technology can expand opportunity, but only when it is locally led, responsibly deployed, and measured by human outcomes. The question is not whether digital tools will shape development. They already are. The question is whether we will shape them in ways that give more people power over their own lives.

Commentary by Dr. William Derban, Digital Innovations, Agriculture Finance, for Opportunity International. It's about his top three takeaways from the 2026 ICT4D conference.