Case Studies of AI Policy Development in Africa
Kadijatou Diallo Jonathan Smith Chinasa T. Okolo Dorcas Nyamwaya Jonas Kgomo Richard Ngamita
Artificial Intelligence (AI) requires new ways of evaluating national
technology use and strategy for African nations. We conduct a survey of
existing 'readiness' assessments both for general digital adoption and for AI
policy in particular. We conclude that existing global readiness assessments do
not fully capture African states' progress in AI readiness and lay the
groundwork for how assessments can be better used for the African context. We
consider the extent to which these indicators map to the African context and
what these indicators miss in capturing African states' on-the-ground work in
meeting AI capability. Through case studies of four African nations of diverse
geographic and economic dimensions, we identify nuances missed by global
assessments and offer high-level policy considerations for how states can best
improve their AI readiness standards and prepare their societies to capture the
benefits of AI.