AI for government
As AI transforms public services, economic policy, and governance, countries face a choice: become passive consumers of AI solutions or develop the capacity to shape AI on their own terms.
Supporting governments to develop, deploy, and govern AI responsibly
We support governments across Europe and Central Asia in building strategic artificial intelligence (AI) capability. As AI transforms public services, economic policy, and governance, countries face a choice: become passive consumers of AI solutions or develop the capacity to shape AI on their own terms.
We partner with national governments to strengthen AI strategies, develop institutional capabilities, establish technical foundations, and ensure AI systems are safe, trustworthy, and inclusive. Our work spans national AI strategy development to hands-on capacity building, helping governments become informed orchestrators of their AI ecosystems. To date, we have engaged with over 11 countries and supported 300+ government officials in building AI readiness.
How the programme works
Our support to governments covers four interconnected areas, tailored to each country’s context and priorities:
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AI strategy development
We support governments in developing strategic frameworks that align with development priorities. This includes ecosystem assessments to understand current capabilities, gaps and opportunities, stakeholder consultations to build consensus, and roadmap development with clear priorities and implementation pathways. We understand strategy-making as a continuous process, not a one-off intervention. Our approach ensures that strategies are actionable, moving beyond aspirational documents to concrete plans.
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Skills and institutional capacity
Building AI capability depends on people and institutions having the skills and systems to use and govern it effectively. We deliver training programmes for government officials at all levels, ranging from AI literacy for senior leadership to technical and applied skills for teams working on implementation and delivery. We also invest in institutional strengthening: helping establish AI teams, developing AI sandboxes, and creating internal processes for responsible AI adoption.
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Technical foundations
AI systems require strong technical infrastructure. We help governments assess and strengthen their technical foundations for AI, including data governance frameworks, data initiatives, and infrastructure planning. We also support the development of shared resources like language datasets and sector-specific AI tools that can benefit multiple agencies and applications.
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Trust and safety
We help countries develop AI governance frameworks that ensure systems are safe, fair, transparent, and accountable. This includes developing ethical guidelines for public sector AI, establishing review processes for high-risk applications, creating mechanisms for public participation and redress, and building capacity for algorithmic auditing and impact assessment. Our trust and safety work ensures AI deployment strengthens public confidence in government and fosters a culture of responsible innovation and long-term institutional trust.
Flagship initiatives
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PIA is an AI‑powered tool used to systematically capture portfolio learnings, facilitate team reflection and extract insights for the dynamic management phase of portfolios. It has gone through an internal testing phase and is now being deployed across UNDP worldwide.
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This solution blends strategic foresight with generative AI to help organizations imagine plausible futures, challenge assumptions, and design bold, mission‑driven digital‑green portfolios. First piloted within the City Experiment Fund, this approach invites governments and partners to explore “what if” scenarios through compelling AI‑generated stories, visuals, and videos that inspire smarter portfolio design and investment choices.
SERBIA
Lorya – an AI tool supporting the digitization of cultural heritage
LORYA, an open-source AI tool developed in Serbia, helps transform digitized cultural heritage into machine-readable text, helping preserve underrepresented languages and include them in AI systems.
Explore the story
Artificial intelligence
When AI governs, who guards our rights?
Explore why human rights must be embedded in AI systems from the outset and how impact assessments can help identify and prevent harm before it occurs.
ARMENIA
From vision to national AI strategy
Armenia's national AI strategy development showcases how smaller countries can take a strategic, whole-of-government approach to AI.
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At a glance
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11
countries engaged across Europe and Central Asia
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300+
government officials across national, state and local levels trained in AI fundamentals
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4
national AI strategies supported
Partner with us
For governments:
Contact your UNDP Country Office or reach out to the UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub directly to discuss how we can support your AI journey
For partners:
We collaborate with technology companies, research institutions, civil society organizations, and international partners to deliver comprehensive support. If you have expertise in AI policy, technical training, or responsible AI practices, let’s explore how we can work together.
For funders:
Support responsible AI development in emerging economies. UNDP’s programmes offer proven approaches for building government AI capability at scale, with demonstrated results and clear impact pathways.
Get in touch
Drop us an email at innovation@undp.org