The methodological framework of this tool is structured around three key dimensions. First, it considers the government's role as an enabler of the AI environment, which involves setting a clear vision, establishing coherent governance, facilitating public policies, and adapting regulatory frameworks. Second, it evaluates the government's role as a user of AI technologies, assessing institutional capacities to adopt AI solutions in public services, strategic planning, and data management. Finally, AI ethics is positioned as a cross-cutting pillar, guided by the normative framework promoted by UNESCO, which steers technological development toward principles of human rights, equity, transparency, security, and accountability.

The tool assesses factors such as data availability and quality, the level of technological innovation, existing digital infrastructure, the inclusion of diverse groups in design and governance processes, and collaboration between public, private, and civil society sectors. Using a comprehensive approach, the assessment not only generates a technical diagnostic but also fosters a national dialogue on the future of AI and the conditions necessary to ensure its benefits are equitably distributed.

One of the distinctive values of the AI Readiness Assessment is that it does not seek to impose a single model but rather supports States in building national AI strategies aligned with their socioeconomic contexts and sustainable development priorities. It also fosters intersectoral cooperation and promotes a roadmap for the progressive and responsible implementation of emerging technologies, with an emphasis on social impact and rights protection.

By integrating this tool into its digital services portfolio, UNDP reaffirms its commitment to a technological transformation that enhances State capacities, drives inclusive innovation, and places ethics at the center of intelligent systems design. In this sense, the AI Readiness Assessment is a key instrument to anticipate challenges, seize opportunities, and ensure that artificial intelligence serves people and the planet.

This article was originally published in: https://www.undp.org/digital