AI Report on Southern Africa http://misa.org Insights AI Readiness Index (AIRI). Botswana is ranked 98th out of 181 countries in the 2022 AIRI survey. The rankings show that Botswana’s government AI readiness could be better when compared to other countries in the region. This shows that there is still potential for development in terms of AI adoption and implementation in Botswana’s public sector. Botswana can improve its public sector and stay competitive by investing in AI technologies. An analysis of Botswana’s government AIRI by pillar yielded the following average scores: the Government pillar, the Technology sector pillar (26.61), and the Data and Infrastructure pillar (55.05). Notably, the technology sector looks to have the lowest score of the three pillars. The relatively low score suggests that, while there have been some advances in the technology field, there is still opportunity for additional investment and research to fully realise the potential of AI technologies. Botswana’s total government AI readiness might be improved by enhancing technological capabilities, supporting innovation, and encouraging investments in the technology industry. Governance and Ethics Five indications are used to establish whether the appropriate AI rules and ethical frameworks are in place. The first indicator concerns the availability of data protection and privacy regulations. Botswana received a perfect score, which is impressive. These findings are consistent with statistics released on the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) website. Botswana has accelerated the adoption of digitalisation and e-commerce-related regulations, such as the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act (2014), the Electronic Records Act (2014), Customs Act (2018), the Consumer Protection Act (2018), the Cybercrime and Computer Related Crimes Act (2018), Industrial Property Act (2010), the Data Protection Act (2018), and the Competition Act (2018), despite the lack of an AI-specific regulation. Furthermore, the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana (CAAB) has enacted regulations governing drone operations in the country. Based on these findings, Botswana deserves commendation for establishing basic policies for technology usage and, as a result, responsible AI. According to the 2022 AIRI results, Botswana sits at position 98 out of 181 countries surveyed globally. The scores indicate that Botswana’s government AI readiness could be higher compared to other countries in the region. This suggests that there is room for improvement in terms of adopting and implementing AI technologies in Botswana’s public sector. By investing in AI technologies, Botswana can enhance its public sector and keep up with global advancements. A breakdown of Botswana’s government AIRI by pillar revealed that the average scores for each pillar are as follows: the Government pillar, the Technology sector pillar (26.61), and the Data and Infrastructure pillar (55.05). Notably, the technology sector pillar appears to have the lowest score among the three pillars. The relatively lower score indicates that while there have been some advancements in the technology sector, there remains room for further investment and development to fully harness the potential of AI technologies. Enhancing the technological capabilities, fostering innovation, and encouraging investments in the technology sector could improve Botswana’s overall government AI readiness. 18