World News | India Ranks 10th with $1.4 Billion Private Investment in AI: UN Report
LatestLY provides up-to-date articles and stories on global events. A UN report highlights India and China as the only developing countries with substantial private investments in AI for 2023. India holds the tenth position in this regard. India and China's focus on AI reflects a growing trend towards technological advancement in emerging economies.
India and China are the only developing countries in the world with significant private investments in AI in 2023, according to a UN report. India ranks tenth. The 2025 Technology and Innovation Report, issued by UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), also states that India ranked 36th in 2024 on the ‘Readiness for Frontier Technologies' index, improving its position from 48th in 2022.
India's Global Ranking
India ranks 36th out of 170 nations on a global index measuring a country's readiness for frontier technologies, improving its ranking from last year, according to the report. The index combines indicators for ICT deployment, skills, research and development (R&D) activity, industrial capacity, and access to finance. India ranks 99th for ICT, 113th for skills, 3rd for R&D, 10th for industrial capacity, and 70th for finance.
Human Capital Improvement
Bhutan, India, Morocco, the Republic of Moldova, and Timor-Leste improved their positions in human capital due to more years of schooling and a greater share of high-skill employment in their working populations, the report said.
Scientific Strength in AI
The report also notes that China, Germany, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States show scientific strength in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The US leads the world in terms of private investment in AI, at USD 67 billion in 2023, or 70 per cent of global AI private investment.
AI Impact on Jobs
AI could impact 40 per cent of jobs worldwide, offering productivity gains but also raising concerns about automation and job displacement. The benefits of AI-driven automation often favor capital over labor, which could widen inequality and reduce the competitive advantage of low-cost labor in developing economies.
Reskilling and Upskilling
Investing in reskilling, upskilling, and workforce adaptation is essential to ensure AI enhances employment opportunities rather than eliminating them, the report said.
Technology Readiness
The report further noted that Brazil, China, India, and the Philippines are developing countries outperforming in technology readiness.
Global Technology Trends
Developing countries need to prepare themselves for a world that is rapidly being reshaped by AI and other frontier technologies. A useful measure in assessing national preparedness to use, adopt, and adapt frontier technologies is the UNCTAD Frontier Technologies Readiness Index. "Developed countries lead the ranking, but some developing countries, notably Singapore, China, and India, hold prominent positions."
GitHub Developers and AI Talent
The United States has the most GitHub developers, followed by India and China. India has around 13 million developers, making it a significant contributor to advances in AI.
Government Initiatives
The lead of India in AI partly reflects government policy. The Government has closely collaborated over the years with the private sector and academia to build centers of excellence in AI.
Industrialization and Economic Growth
Manufacturing plays a key role in economic development, stimulating growth in different sectors and generating employment opportunities. Developing countries like Brazil, China, and India show how industrialization can reduce poverty and accelerate economic growth.