The International Development Research Center (IDRC) and Oxford Insight released a list of the 194 countries whose governments were AI ready.
See also: MEA Investments in Artificial Intelligence to Skyrocket to $530 million by 2022 – IDC
Kenya was the first African country on the list, at number 52. Tunisia came 54 with Mauritius, South Africa, Ghana, Morocco, Uganda, Senegal, Tanzania and Rwanda at 60, 68, 75, 80, 91, 93, and 94 respectively. Only 12 African countries out of 54 made the top 100.
These countries were chosen for their government’s involvement in the adoption of the latest technologies. The Kenyan government, in particular, allocated 2% of GDP for research and development in technology-related activities. African countries are slowly embracing AI technology. Efforts can be seen through a number of developments such as the sighting of the first AI hub in Nigeria in June 2018 and Google’s AI research hub in Accra, Ghana.
Some African startups leverage AI technology while building solutions to solve local challenges. However, the report highlighted the need for more African countries to develop policies that ensure that citizens benefit from the advantages of Artificial Intelligence.
Artificial Intelligence technologies are forecast to add $15 trillion to the global economy by 2030. This report shows that governments in African countries are yet to fully explore the use of artificial intelligence. To fully harness the benefits of the 4th Industrial Revolution, governments must ensure that they are ready to adopt modern technologies in their delivery of public services.
To read the full report, click here.
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