The French Development Agency (AFD) has published a report entitled ‘AI Investment Potential Index: Mapping Global Opportunities for Sustainable Development’, which assesses the potential for investment in artificial intelligence (AI) in 193 countries.
The report is based on around twenty indicators, including the state of digital infrastructure, political stability, regulatory environment, access to electricity, government effectiveness, human capital development, statistical capacity and the existence of a national AI strategy.
In terms of regional distribution, North America came out on top with a score of 70.5 points, followed by Europe and Central Asia (64.26 points), then Latin America and the Caribbean (50.11 points).
This is followed by East Asia and the Pacific (48.35 points), the Middle East and North Africa (47.6 points), South Asia (43.48 points) and Sub-Saharan Africa (35.45 points).
The countries studied are divided into four groups according to their potential for investment in AI. These groups are defined by the scores obtained on the AIIPI as follows: Stage 1, with low potential (AIIPI below 26 points); Stage 2, with mid-level potential (AIIPI between 26 and 50 points); Stage 3, with high potential (AIIPI between 51 and 75 points); and finally Stage 4, with very high potential (AIIPI above 75 points).
Nine African countries, including Tunisia, are in Stage 3, along with Morocco, Mauritius, Gabon, Rwanda, Kenya, Botswana, Senegal and Egypt. According to the report, these countries outperform the global average of 49.68 points thanks to solid digital infrastructure, a favorable regulatory environment and developing human skills.
To explain, each group has specific priorities: countries in stages 3 and 4 need to focus on AI innovation and improving regulatory frameworks, while those in stages 1 and 2 need to prioritize infrastructure and human skills development.
However, several African countries are in Stage 1, including Eritrea, South Sudan, Burundi, Central African Republic and Liberia.
