Ofir Reich on using data science to end poverty and the spurious Action/Inaction distinction

Abstract

After military math service and tech startup work, Ofir Reich transitioned to data science for global development. Motivated by a moral imperative to address inaction as actively harmful, he now works at UC Berkeley’s Center for Effective Global Action to combat tax evasion in India, enable electronic teacher payments in Afghanistan, and aid Ethiopian farmers through messaging. Reich emphasizes the importance of top academic environments, the value of data skills over development experience, and the need to address the false research crisis to advance global development.