MUSCAT: The Sultanate of Oman was ranked among the top four Arab countries in the Governmental Readiness Index for Artificial Intelligence for 2021, issued by the Oxford Insight Foundation. The United States of America topped the index, followed by Singapore, Britain, Finland, and the Netherlands.

The index ranks 160 countries in readiness to apply artificial intelligence (AI) in providing public services to citizens, and the report for 2021, which is the fourth annual report of its kind, and is based on several axes, including the existence of a national strategy for artificial intelligence, data protection and privacy laws, and the use of information and communication technology and services digital, the evolution of communications infrastructure, the availability of digital skills, and an entrepreneurial culture.

Globally, governments are turning to artificial intelligence to improve their public services and gain strategic economic advantages, but preparing themselves to make the most of this AI-powered transformation requires governments to have the appropriate tools and operating environment, as governments must be ready for artificial intelligence.