Uganda ranks 23rd in youth AI readiness index

KAMPALA. Uganda ranks 23rd among 56 Commonwealth countries in preparedness to enable young people to exploit artificial intelligence (AI) for business and economic growth, trailing Kenya but outperforming Tanzania, according to a new international study.

The Ayre Index, released on November 5, 2026, gives Uganda a score of 47 out of 100, six points below the study’s benchmark of 53, exposing gaps in digital infrastructure and skills that could limit the country’s ability to turn AI into jobs, businesses and higher incomes.

Uganda is ranked just behind Kenya, which occupies the 22nd position, but ahead of Tanzania at 25th and Rwanda at 47th, placing it among the relatively better-performing countries in East Africa.

However, the ranking comes with a warning that Uganda’s youthful population and growing entrepreneurial activity could remain an underutilised economic resource unless government addresses the cost and availability of electricity, internet connectivity and digital technologies.

The study estimates that artificial intelligence could add US$899 million to Uganda’s gross domestic product (GDP) over 10 years under a moderate adoption scenario, although the potential gain ranges from US$434 million under a conservative scenario to US$1.364 billion under an optimistic scenario.

The projections, based on scenarios developed by the International Monetary Fund and applied to Uganda’s economy, represent potential increases in the country’s GDP level after a decade rather than guaranteed earnings or annual additions to economic output.

The report identifies Uganda’s youthful entrepreneurial population as a major advantage in adopting AI, but warns that unequal access to the technology could widen the economic divide between businesses with reliable digital infrastructure and those operating in underserved communities.

Data analysed by the researchers indicates that 41.9 per cent of Ugandans aged between 18 and 29 were starting or running new businesses, while 20.6 per cent owned established enterprises.

Uganda has approximately 13.4 million people aged between 15 and 29, representing a substantial pool of potential entrepreneurs and workers who could use AI to improve productivity and expand businesses.

For small enterprises, AI applications could help reduce operating costs, improve marketing, manage business records, reach customers and identify new markets without necessarily requiring large investments in human resources.

But the study found that electricity reaches only 55.3 per cent of Uganda’s population, while fewer than half of young people report using the internet. High mobile-data costs also restrict access, particularly among poorer households.

This means businesses with reliable electricity, affordable internet and access to digital devices could capture a disproportionate share of the economic benefits, leaving smaller enterprises and young entrepreneurs in poorly connected communities behind.

The researchers also identified gaps in evidence on Uganda’s digital and AI skills, making it difficult to establish how widely young people are using the technology and whether adoption is translating into productive economic activity.

Although a 2026 survey involving 609 volunteers indicated encouraging signs of AI adoption, the available evidence was insufficient to assess the country’s digital and AI skills adequately.

The findings raise questions about whether existing training programmes can reach a sufficiently large proportion of young people to support widespread adoption of the technology.

Uganda has started initiatives aimed at developing technology-driven entrepreneurship and digital skills.

In July 2026, 83 young innovators joined a government-backed entrepreneurship programme intended to help turn technology ideas into businesses.

Another 144 young Ugandans graduated from a United Nations-backed digital skills initiative covering artificial intelligence, software development and cybersecurity.

However, the scale of these interventions remains modest compared with the country’s estimated 13.4 million young people aged between 15 and 29.

Calvin Ayre, founder of the Ayre Think Tank, said the economic benefits of AI should not be confined to wealthy countries if young people in developing economies are given the necessary skills and opportunities.

“I’ve spent my life in businesses where new technology changes everything, and I know you can’t stand still. AI is going to change how we work, how we do business, and how wealth is created. But this is not a race that only the biggest or richest countries can win. What matters is giving young people the skills and the chance to get ahead, whether to start businesses, find jobs or build something for themselves,” Mr Ayre said.

The white paper accompanying the index identifies five priorities for governments seeking to expand youth participation in the AI economy.

These include affordable and reliable access to technology, education that develops practical skills, stronger pathways from training into employment and entrepreneurship, AI tools adapted to local languages and needs, and safeguards that allow people to question decisions made by automated systems.

Professor C. Justin Robinson, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal of the University of the West Indies, Five Islands Campus, said young people in developing countries should not be restricted to consuming AI products developed elsewhere but should also participate in creating and governing the technology.

“We need to make sure that the next generation will be able to do more than just consume AI products made elsewhere. Access must come with its own agency and a real equitable stake in how these systems are governed,” Professor Robinson said.

He argued that young people should be equipped to question AI tools, improve them and develop alternatives suited to their own needs.

The Ayre Index draws on 1,128 research sources to assess conditions affecting approximately 732 million young people across the 56 Commonwealth countries. It was launched during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda.

For Uganda, the findings suggest that its relatively favourable position in the Commonwealth ranking does not necessarily translate into widespread readiness to benefit from AI.

Without wider access to electricity, affordable internet, digital devices and practical training, the projected economic gains risk being concentrated among businesses and individuals who are already connected, rather than becoming a broad-based source of employment, enterprise growth and higher incomes.