“Governments can lead by example to promote AI use.”
The discussions opened by emphasising the urgency for governments across emerging economies to adopt AI strategies that meet rising demand for better public services with limited resources. Participants framed these countries as potentially able to leapfrog legacy development models and build smarter, more inclusive states from the ground up, bypassing costly IT infrastructure that often encumbers developed nations.
Opening remarks also highlighted the Google-commissioned PwC report, AI Works for Governments, which argues that broad public sector AI adoption can deliver a triple dividend by 2035: improved government efficiency, better public service delivery and broader economic growth. This roadmap was linked to the AI Sprinters Framework and its four game changing pillars: cloud-first infrastructure policies, skills training at scale, modernised national data systems, and enabling regulation. Speakers also reflected on findings from Wilton Park’s December 2024 event, Successfully Harnessing AI in Africa, which similarly emphasised the need for investments in digital infrastructure, AI skills, data governance, and public-private partnerships to enable responsible AI adoption and innovation across Africa.
Another example from a country in Latin America highlighted ongoing efforts to invest public resources in AI governance mechanisms, including national AI policies and regulatory frameworks. Participants noted the challenges of approving regulation in an ecosystem with many stakeholders, each seeking to influence the legislative process, in addition to the importance of developing balanced regulation that safeguards against risks without stifling innovation.