The Artificial Intelligence Landscape Assessment (AILA) – Montenegro (2024) report

The Artificial Intelligence Landscape Assessment (AILA) – Montenegro (2024) report, developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with the Montenegrin government and the Chief Digital Office, offers a comprehensive evaluation of Montenegro’s readiness to adopt, enable, and govern artificial intelligence (AI) in alignment with sustainable development goals (SDGs). The report assesses AI readiness across three pillars: government as a user, government as an enabler, and ethical AI development, providing a detailed picture of strengths, gaps, and strategic opportunities.

Keyfindings

1. Government as a user of AI
Montenegro is in the systematic phase (score: 2.4/5), indicating initial but coordinated efforts to prepare for AI integration in public services. The country has limited AI tool adoption—mostly individual uses of tools like ChatGPT—and lacks a national AI strategy or dedicated procurement systems. Key barriers include limited in-house development capacity and an underdeveloped infrastructure tailored for AI.

2. Government as an enabler of AI
Scoring 3.2/5 (differentiating phase), this pillar shows that Montenegro is building enabling conditions for AI through infrastructure, skills, and innovation funding. However, disparities remain—rural digital infrastructure lags, technical skills are insufficient, and regulatory frameworks for innovation require modernisation. Data policies are robust on paper but need better implementation for open data sharing.

3. Ethical AI
This pillar scores lowest at 1.4/5 (opportunistic phase), revealing nascent ethical frameworks. There is minimal institutional support for transparency, safety, inclusivity, or public accountability. Mechanisms to challenge algorithmic decisions, perform AI ethics audits, or ensure gender-sensitive and inclusive AI development are underdeveloped.

Digital landscape context

Montenegro benefits from 4G coverage for 98% of the population and growing 5G deployment (currently at 75%). Urban areas show high digital engagement, but rural areas still face accessibility challenges. With a median age of 39.6 years and 40% of the population in the working-age bracket, the workforce is well-positioned for digital upskilling.

The data governance framework is currently based on the 2008 Personal Data Protection Law, soon to be replaced by a GDPR-aligned law expected in 2025, reinforcing Montenegro’s alignment with EU standards.

Strategic recommendations

• Develop a national AI strategy with cross-sector coordination and clear goals.
• Upgrade digital and cloud infrastructure, especially in underserved regions.
• Establish an AI governance and ethics body to ensure accountability and public trust.
• Invest in workforce development, targeting both technical and non-technical AI skills.
• Create a national open data portal and incentivise data sharing across the public and private sectors.
• Foster public-private partnerships and support local AI startups and SMEs.
• Embed inclusivity, safety, and transparency into all AI systems and governance frameworks from the outset.

Conclusion

Montenegro is at a critical point in its digital transformation journey. While the digital infrastructure and regulatory ambitions are promising, the country must bridge significant gaps in skills, data availability, and ethical safeguards to responsibly and effectively harness AI. With deliberate strategic planning and investment, Montenegro could emerge as a regional leader in ethical and impactful AI adoption.