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‘Best’ country analysis also reveals who’s most excited about AI

AI-ready companies are not necessarily the ones most hopeful in the tech.
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It’s almost as if that really cool pommel horse performance at the Olympics meant nothing.

On September 10, US News and World Report selected the “best” country—a ranking effort, now in its ninth year, that evaluated 89 nations across more than 70 attributes—and found Switzerland on top.

The analysis, conducted by the media company and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, also revealed differing levels of AI enthusiasm around the globe. Comparing respondents’ feelings to separate AI-readiness data from 2023 suggests an intriguing conclusion: Countries considered more prepared for AI deployments often have less optimism about the technology than their eager, less-ready-for-AI counterparts.

“Countries that are wealthier and more developed are more likely to read our ranking criteria and may also be more likely to see AI integration, both the pros and the cons of it. While poorer, less developed countries may see the pros of AI integration, but maybe have yet to experience the cons,” Elliott Davis Jr., a US News and World Report reporter, told IT Brew.

  • 51% of Canadian respondents and 50% of respondents from Australia agreed with the statement: “the benefits of artificial intelligence outweigh the threats.” Denmark, Sweden, and New Zealand had less than 50% agreement.
  • The most optimistic survey respondents: More than 80% of those polled in China, Vietnam, Thailand, Kenya, and Egypt agreed.

The report asked nearly 17,000 people across 36 nations to rank countries based on associations with attributes including “cares about human rights,” “a leader,” and “technology expertise.” (Country rankings were based on those associations. The overall winner this year: Following Switzerland was Japan and the US.)

A January study from think tank Third Way laid out factors leading to AI optimism and pessimism:

  • The chatbot is half-full: AI developments, the Third Way study said, have a chance to increase GDP, automate routine tasks, strengthen a middle class, and enable non-college workers to compete with highly skilled peers.
  • The chatbot is half-empty: The Third Way writers also noted potential drawbacks like job losses and an increase in income inequality if gains from increased productivity move to top earners and the largest companies.

Oxford Insights, which provides AI strategy for governments, created an index of its own in December 2023, ranking 193 countries on AI readiness and using 39 indicators, like privacy legislation, foundational IT infrastructure, and STEM graduates.

US News and World Report’s more AI-pessimistic countries ranked highly on Oxford’s readiness scale: Canada (5), Australia (12), New Zealand (49), Denmark (11), Sweden (14).

The AI optimists, with an exception of China, landed deeper on the list: China (16), Vietnam (59), Thailand (37), Kenya (101), Egypt (62).

While Davis admits tracking AI enthusiasm with a country’s overall ranking is a “tricky” correlation to make, the writer awaits which country will deploy AI…best.

“It’s interesting to see where this high enthusiasm for AI is, and how that can play out in the future,” Davis said.

Top insights for IT pros

From cybersecurity and big data to cloud computing, IT Brew covers the latest trends shaping business tech in our 4x weekly newsletter, virtual events with industry experts, and digital guides.

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