Comparison of National Artificial Intelligence (AI): Strategic Policies and Priorities

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the world and having a profound impact on the economy, government, and society. Thus, many countries have proposed AI strategic policies in order to lead the development of AI in their societies during the twenty-first century. Although the idea of AI emerged in the 1950s, it entered a crucial stage in the last decade and now has an extensive range of applications with significant societal implications. Therefore, governments around the world need to be aware of the opportunities and challenges associated with AI. This chapter is focused on the emerging field of AI policymaking. It presents the first countries that have launched AI strategies and compares current AI policy developments. The research questions are as follows: What are the similarities and differences between various national AI strategies? What are the priorities of AI strategies? How much do governments spend on AI strategies? After having analyzed six national AI strategies, it was found that each strategy is unique to the context of the country; each has different priorities as well as different budgets. Finally, as AI is already a part of our daily lives, some recommendations are offered to policymakers in order to help them to adapt to these technological changes and develop effective AI policies.