In boardrooms and among governments across the world, conversations are being dominated by how artificial intelligence (AI) can revolutionize productivity and drive economic growth. A huge amount of time and money is being directed at how to capitalize on the technology and use it to drive growth in countries across the world – recent figures show that worldwide spending on AI will reach $2.5 trillion in 2026.

While AI undoubtedly represents the next frontier, in the search for productivity gains businesses would do well to make sure they are making the most of existing technology. There is a growing body of evidence that shows a simple pair of eyeglasses, a technology that is 700 years old, has the power to boost productivity and improve livelihoods for a fraction of the spend on AI and with immediate impact.

The study was conducted by researchers from VisionSpring and Queen’s University Belfast, with support from USAID.