AI Development and South-South Cooperation Data Mapper

The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) promotes South-South and triangular cooperation as an important means of implementation for sustainable development. Through its knowledge and partnership platforms—including the South-South Galaxy—UNOSSC supports the exchange of knowledge, solutions, and innovations among countries of the Global South. Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming economies, governance systems, and development pathways worldwide. As global discussions on AI governance and development accelerate, there is growing interest in understanding how developing countries can harness AI in ways that are inclusive, ethical, and aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. In this context, UNOSSC is undertaking a foresight exercise on the future of AI development and governance in the Global South, with particular attention to the role that South-South and triangular cooperation (SSTrC) may play in enabling inclusive AI ecosystems. The exercise will analyze emerging developments in developing countries and explore possible future trajectories for AI over the next 10–15 years. It will also identify opportunities for collaboration, innovation pathways, and policy approaches that could help countries of the Global South shape responsible and development-oriented AI ecosystems. To support this exercise, UNOSSC is establishing a small network of Online Volunteers to help collect structured information on emerging AI developments across regions.

The Online Volunteers will support UNOSSC in gathering relevant information on emerging trends related to artificial intelligence across developing country contexts. This information will contribute to the analytical foundation of the foresight exercise and help identify patterns, opportunities, and emerging signals relevant to the development of AI ecosystems in the Global South. To facilitate this process, UNOSSC has developed a dedicated digital system through which volunteers will submit the information they collect. The system allows volunteers to enter structured information on AI-related developments using a simple template, ensuring consistency and enabling the aggregation and analysis of the collected data. The collected information may also help identify practical cooperation opportunities and innovative solutions that could later be shared through the South-South Galaxy platform and related UNOSSC initiatives. Volunteers will work under the guidance of the UNOSSC Research Specialist.

The Online Volunteers will support the foresight exercise by collecting concise, verifiable information from their country or region on emerging developments related to artificial intelligence that may inform analysis of AI ecosystems in the Global South. This includes identifying developments related to: - national AI policies, strategies, or regulatory initiatives - AI ecosystem and infrastructure development (such as data centers, AI labs, research institutes, or innovation hubs) - AI applications addressing development challenges aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals - South-South and regional cooperation initiatives related to AI - AI education, skills development, and talent initiatives - investment and financing trends related to AI ecosystems - governance debates or public discussions around AI risks and ethics - emerging or weak signals of innovation and alternative AI development pathways. Volunteers will collect relevant information from credible sources such as government publications, international organizations, think tanks, academic institutions, reputable media outlets, and innovation ecosystems. The collected information will be entered directly into a digital system developed by UNOSSC for this purpose, using a simple structured template that includes a short description of the development, relevant actors (where available), source reference, and its potential relevance for AI development and cooperation in the Global South. Over the course of the assignment, volunteers will contribute to building a structured dataset of emerging AI developments across developing country contexts, which will help inform the foresight analysis. Expected outputs Each volunteer will: - Identify and document at least one relevant development (“signal”) per day related to artificial intelligence in their assigned country or region. - Enter the collected information in English into the UNOSSC digital data collection system using the prescribed template. - Ensure that each submission includes a concise description of the development and a verifiable and trustworthy source. - Contribute to the creation of a comprehensive dataset of AI-related developments across developing country contexts during the assignment period. The collected information will support the preparation of analytical outputs related to the foresight exercise on AI and South-South cooperation, including the identification of trends, emerging patterns, and early signals relevant to the development of AI ecosystems in the Global South.