Bridges to Prosperity helps build trail bridges in rural communities. The nonprofit is using AI to map these areas and identify prospective bridge locations. This article is part of "Build IT: Connectivity," a series about tech powering better business. Not all maps are created equal. Huge swaths of land lack basic geographical data, including details as vital as the locations of rivers or roads. To Bridges to Prosperity, a nongovernmental organization that helps build bridges in isolated...

In the Middle Ages, seafarers would sail down the Daugava River to take refuge from the harsh winds and waves of the Baltic Sea. They'd anchor their ships, which carried goods like corn, hide, and flax, in a small natural harbor in the city of Riga. Today, the harbor in the Latvian capital is still a bustling port, although cargo ships and autonomous drones have replaced the sails and oars. It was designated a freeport, or free trade zone, in 2001, which means that businesses using the port...