The OECD.AI Policy Navigator

The strategy responds to Ghana’s assessment that artificial intelligence can accelerate national economic and sustainable development objectives, while also posing ethical, social and governance risks if not managed responsibly. It identifies AI as a general‑purpose technology with potential to advance productivity, service delivery and social outcomes, but notes gaps including skills shortages, limited access to high‑quality local data, uneven digital infrastructure, and risks related to bias, privacy, cybersecurity and job displacement. These challenges motivate the need for a coordinated national approach.

The strategy is structured around eight stated pillars: expanding AI education and training; empowering youth for jobs of the future; deepening digital infrastructure and inclusion; facilitating data access and governance; coordinating a robust AI ecosystem and community; accelerating AI adoption in key sectors; investing in applied AI research; and promoting AI adoption in the public sector. Together, these pillars define policy priorities covering human capital development, infrastructure and compute access, data sharing and protection, ecosystem coordination, innovation support, and responsible public sector use of AI.

Key sectors identified for AI adoption include healthcare, agriculture, transportation, energy, financial services, lands and natural resources, and the environment and circular economy. The strategy builds on existing strengths such as a growing digital and start‑up ecosystem, expanding connectivity, academic capacity, and international investment in AI‑related activities. It also incorporates a diagnostic assessment using a SWOT analysis to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, which informs the prioritisation of policy actions and pilot projects.

Governance and oversight are central elements. The strategy recommends establishing a Responsible AI Office to coordinate implementation, lead stakeholder engagement, and oversee monitoring and evaluation. Ethical considerations are addressed through emphasis on data protection, privacy, cybersecurity, transparency, fairness and accountability, as well as alignment with international AI governance platforms. An action plan sets out activities, responsible actors and timelines across the 2023–2033 period, with monitoring, measurement and iteration foreseen to track progress and adapt implementation over time.