Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are forecast to add US$15 trillion to the global economy by 2030
This project was commissioned by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) as part of its AI for Development (AI4D) initiative on Artificial Intelligence Readiness. * The
views in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of IDRC or its Board of Governors.
Government Artificial Intelligence Readiness: Index 2019
According to the findings of our Index and as might be expected, the governments of countries in the Global North are better placed to take advantage of these gains than those in the Global South. There is a risk, therefore, that countries in the Global South could be left behind by the so-called fourth industrial revolution. Not only will they not reap the potential benefits of AI, but there is also the danger that unequal implementation widens global inequalities.
AI has the power to transform the way that governments around the world deliver public services. In turn, this could greatly improve citizens’ experiences of government. Governments are already implementing AI in their operations and service delivery, to improve efficiency, save time and money, and deliver better quality public services.
In 2017, Oxford Insights created the world’s first Government AI Readiness Index, to answer the question: how well placed are national governments to take advantage of the benefits of AI in their operations and delivery of public services? The results sought to capture the current capacity of governments to exploit the innovative potential of AI.
The 2019 Government AI Readiness Index, produced with the support of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), sees a development of our methodology, and an expansion of scope to cover all UN countries (from our previous group of OECD members). It scores the governments of 194 countries and territories according to their preparedness to use AI in the delivery of public services.
This report has been produced by Oxford Insights. The lead authors were Hannah Miller and Richard Stirling (OI). Regional commentary was contributed by Yaera Chung, Sriganesh Lokanathan, Emma Martinho-Truswell, Joshua New, Isaac Rutenberg, and Fabrizio Scrollini. Please contact research@oxfordinsights.com for more information and with any comments.
