Algorithmic independence: Charting an AI agenda for Africa, Latin America, and Asia

Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming the backbone of economic growth, public services, and even national security. Yet its benefits—and the power to set its rules—are overwhelmingly concentrated in a handful of wealthy nations. For countries across Africa, Latin America, and much of Asia, this imbalance not only stifles homegrown innovation but also risks perpetuating a new form of digital dependency.

- NIGHT OWL ANNA MAE YU LAMENTILLO

According to Tortoise Media’s 2024, “Leading 20 AI Countries by Research Capacity,” the United States tops the chart with a normalized score of 100, more than 45 points ahead of its nearest rival, China (54). No other nation even approaches these figures: Singapore registers 25, the United Kingdom 23, and both France and Switzerland sit at 18. Israel (17) and Germany (16) follow, while Canada and Hong Kong each score 15. Australia clocks in at 14, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates at 11, and India and the Netherlands at 10. Finland, Luxembourg, and Austria share a score of nine, with Japan and Sweden rounding out the top 20 at eight. These numbers lay bare the sheer scale of concentration at the apex of AI research—and the yawning gap that leaves entire regions on the periphery.

Beneath these headline statistics lies another worrying divide: the gender gap in the talent pipeline. In both Europe and the United States, bachelor's degrees in computer science remain heavily male-dominated. In Europe, women actually improve their representation at the master's level—exceeding their share in undergraduate cohorts—whereas in the US their presence stalls, remaining roughly static from bachelor's through master's programs. This skew not only narrows the range of perspectives shaping AI's future but also deepens the Global South's reliance on technologies crafted without their input.