Is the Global South More Optimistic Than Prepared for AI

Analysis by Navin Girishankar and Andrea Leonard Palazzi

Published October 23, 2025

Emerging economies are more optimistic than advanced ones about artificial intelligence (AI), but less prepared to adopt it. This gap could offer a "golden opportunity" for partnerships with the United States around AI standards, skills, and exports.

1. The goal: The Trump administration's AI Action Plan recognizes full-stack leadership in AI as a key pillar of U.S. economic security. It proposes a full-stack AI export package to drive U.S. AI leadership-a vehicle to shape global standards and open markets for AI-enabled exports.
2. The gap: The chart shows that while developing economies are more optimistic about AI-enabled products and services than advanced economies, they are relatively less prepared to adopt them, as shown by the International Monetary Fund's AI Preparedness Index. The index assesses AI enablers such as digital infrastructure, human capital, technology innovation, and legal frameworks.
3. The opportunity: Partnerships with the United States on AI standards, exports, and key enablers such as talent and energy could bridge the gap between AI optimism and preparedness in developing and emerging markets. By expanding the world's access to U.S. AI-enabled services and related manufactured goods, the United States-as Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith notes-has the opportunity to boost domestic employment while providing a trusted, democratic alternative to authoritarian AI.

The authors would like to thank EST intern Daniel Sixto and former interns Hannah Bases and Omaya Kudsi for their support.

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