AI Report on Southern Africa http://misa.org Section A: AI readiness in the region: The study will show that AI readiness remains a formidable challenge in most Southern African countries due to insufficient AI-supporting facilities and infrastructure. The availability of reliable electricity, restricted internet access, and sufficient computational power are essential prerequisites for the uptake of AI. Several African nations continue to face challenges in these domains, necessitating significant improvements. It is imperative to acknowledge that the preparedness of a nation for AI is not just contingent upon the procurement and implementation of novel technological advancements. The preparatory measures required for the revolutionary impact of AI often encompass various crucial domains. This entails the acquisition of new skills or the recruitment of individuals possessing key abilities, as well as the refinement of collaboration strategies. Additionally, the development of requisite data and technical infrastructure is crucial for the effective deployment of these advanced technologies. Governments and organisations must establish key pillars of AI preparedness to foster an environment that promotes and facilitates the growth of AI technology. Fundamental Pillars for AI Readiness According to the analysis from Oxford Insights 2, Southern African countries, except for South Africa, have a low ranking on the government AI readiness index. The Government AI Readiness Index 2022 evaluates and ranks 181 nations according to three fundamental pillars: ● The Technology Sector Pillar ● The Data and Infrastructure Pillar ● The Governance Pillar: Overall, Sub-Saharan Africa’s AI readiness average score is 29.38, below the global average of 44.61. Despite challenges, many African nations are taking steps to push data protection, which is important for AI proliferation. The African Union’s role in collaboration and generating model AI and data protection legislation is also emphasised. Although AI funding has recently decreased significantly in Africa, the technology holds the potential to boost the African economy by $1.5 trillion by 2030. 2 Government AI Readiness Index https://oxfordinsights.com/ai-readiness/ai-readiness-index/ 7