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Atlas AI Institute · Flagship Research Tool

AI Governance Observatory

The AI Governance Observatory is a live-updating benchmark that tracks how prepared national governments are to govern artificial intelligence, measuring policy maturity, institutional capacity, and data infrastructure across countries with a dedicated focus on the Global South.

78 Jurisdictions Tracked
5 Core Indicators
Live · 2026 Status

Jurisdiction and indicator counts reflect the live Observatory platform. Individual country score values shown in the preview table below remain illustrative placeholders pending publication of the underlying scoring dataset.

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The Indicator Model

What the Observatory Measures

The Observatory scores each country against five weighted indicators designed to capture the practical readiness of a government to govern AI responsibly, not just the existence of a stated ambition.

  • 01

    Governance Score

    Measures whether binding AI-related laws, regulations, or executive orders are in force, and how enforceable they are in practice.

  • 02

    Readiness Score

    A composite of the remaining four indicators, reflecting a country's overall preparedness to manage AI risks and opportunities.

  • 03

    Policy Depth

    Assesses whether national AI strategies address safety, bias, procurement, and labor impacts, or remain high-level statements of intent.

  • 04

    Institutional Capacity

    Evaluates whether a designated regulatory body, oversight unit, or ministry mandate exists with the authority to act on AI issues.

  • 05

    Data Infrastructure

    Tracks the availability of public data governance frameworks, national data protection law, and open government data standards.

Indicator weighting and scoring thresholds are under review by the Atlas AI Institute research team and will be published in the full Methodology paper.

Sample Data

Live Index Preview

A preview of how country entries will appear once the Observatory dataset goes live. Every score below is a placeholder used for design and layout purposes only.

Table 1. Sample country entries with illustrative governance and readiness scores. Not final data.
Country Governance Score Readiness Score Status
Bangladesh 62 / 100
54 / 100
In Progress
Kenya 58 / 100
61 / 100
Active
Indonesia 67 / 100
59 / 100
Active
Nigeria 49 / 100
45 / 100
Under Review
Brazil 71 / 100
68 / 100
Active
Vietnam 55 / 100
50 / 100
In Progress

All country names shown are examples of the intended dataset scope. Governance and readiness scores are illustrative placeholders and do not reflect verified assessments of any country's actual AI policy standing.

Research Design

Methodology Summary

Each country's score is built from publicly verifiable evidence, legal texts, official strategy documents, government gazettes, and independent policy trackers, scored against a shared rubric to allow cross-country comparison.

Researchers assign a score of 0–100 to each of the five core indicators using a documented rubric. The four sub-indicator scores are combined into a single Readiness Score using a fixed weighting formula, described in full in the published methodology. Every score is paired with a source citation and a last-reviewed date so that users can trace how a number was derived.

Read Full Methodology →

Scoring process at a glance

  1. Identify primary sources: laws, strategies, official registries.
  2. Score each indicator against a documented rubric.
  3. Apply peer review by a second regional analyst.
  4. Publish with citations and a last-reviewed date.
  5. Re-score on a fixed update cycle or after major policy change.
For Researchers & Policymakers

How to Use This Data

The Observatory is designed to be cited, compared, and built upon. Guidance below helps you interpret scores responsibly and reference them correctly in your own work.

Interpreting scores

  • Scores measure documented policy and institutional readiness, not AI adoption or economic output.
  • A lower score does not imply the absence of any AI activity in a country, only limited formal governance infrastructure at the time of assessment.
  • Compare countries within similar income or regional groupings for the most meaningful reading.
  • Always check the last-reviewed date attached to each entry before citing.

Using the dataset responsibly

  • Cite the Observatory and the specific data release date, not just "Atlas AI Institute."
  • Do not present illustrative or placeholder figures as final published data.
  • Link back to the source country entry when referencing a specific score.
  • Contact the research team for bulk or programmatic data access.
Suggested citation format Atlas AI Governance Observatory (2026). Developed by Atlas AI Institute. Research Lead: Nafiul Ahmad Rafi, Founder & Director. Version: AAGII 2026. Retrieved from https://ai-governance-observatory.atlasai.institute/observatory

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Explore Further
Companion Index

AI Local Index

A city- and community-level companion to the Observatory, tracking AI readiness below the national level across participating regions.

Explore the AI Local Index →
Country Framework

National AI Policy Framework

A detailed policy framework and gap analysis developed for national governments seeking to formalize their AI governance approach.

View the Policy Framework →

Get Involved

The Observatory is built with researchers, civil society, and policymakers. Read our published research, join the coalition shaping the next data release, or get in touch with the team directly.

Read Our Research Join the Coalition Contact Us
Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ

What is the AI Governance Observatory?

The AI Governance Observatory is a live-updating benchmark from Atlas AI Institute that tracks AI governance readiness and policy maturity across countries, with a particular focus on Global South nations that are underrepresented in existing global indices.

How is the score calculated?

Each country receives a Governance Score and a Readiness Score derived from five weighted indicators: governance, policy depth, institutional capacity, and data infrastructure, scored against a documented rubric using publicly verifiable sources. Full weighting details are published in the Methodology.

How often is the data updated?

The Observatory is designed to update on a fixed research cycle, with additional updates triggered by significant policy changes in a tracked country. Update cadence will be confirmed and published alongside the first live data release.

Can I cite this data?

Yes. Once live, Observatory data may be cited using the suggested citation format shown above, provided illustrative or placeholder figures are not represented as final published data. Contact the research team for bulk or programmatic access.

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