UAE, Saudi Arabia lead region in Government AI Readiness Index 2023

In 2023, artificial intelligence (AI) was in the headlines more than ever. Generative AI breakthroughs, major developments in the field of AI regulation and a significant increase in AI-related summits globally have put this technology in the spotlight.

Governments are not only working to foster AI innovation and establish regulatory frameworks but also striving to integrate this technology into public services.

The report ranked 193 countries this year, up from 181 last year, and included 39 indicators across 10 dimensions, which make up three pillars: government, technology sector, and data & infrastructure. 

The United States and Canada continue to score near the top of the index, with the US ranking first and Canada ranking fifth. The US dramatically outperformed in the technology sector pillar, scoring 12 points higher than any other country.

Western Europe (the United Kingdom, Finland, and France) holds the second-highest global average score, while the Eastern European countries rank third globally, lagging Western Europe by 12.05 points.

East Asia came in the fourth rank with first-ranking Singapore, Latin America and Caribbean (sixth rank) with (Australia and New Zealand), south central Asia (India, and Turkey) and Africa.

MENA Region

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, ranked third globally, witnessed a significant variation in government AI readiness. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) took the lead in the region, driven by relatively high scores across all three pillars that place it 18th worldwide.

Similarly, Saudi Arabia (KSA) published its AI Ethics Principles. This framework is aimed at reducing the potentially negative implications of AI systems and protecting and enhancing privacy and personal data protection.

The region has also undergone a notable surge in data center investments. Recently, Huawei announced the inauguration of Riyadh’s cloud region, and Oman established a partnership with SAP to introduce a private cloud data center. Furthermore, Egypt is set to host a hyperscale data center with a substantial investment of $250 million.

Source: Oxford Insights