How Nepal Should Use AI in Governance: Policy, Readiness & Next Steps

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Context: readiness and first steps

Kathmandu, March 2: Nepal has been ranked 150th out of 193 countries in the Government AI Readiness Index, 2023.

The report published by the Oxford Insights shows the US in first position with 84.80 total score, while Singapore the second in the index with 81.97 total score.

Nepal has got the total score- 30.77.

In the Index, the total score is calculated from three bases- government pillar, technology sector pillar, and data and infrastructure pillar.

With total score, 30.77, Nepal has achieved 31.04 in government pillar, 24.21 in technology sector pillar, and 37.06 in data and infrastructure pillar. Radio Nepal

Government concept paper — origin of Nepal’s policy work

“The government has for the first time prepared a Concept Paper on the use and practice of Artificial Intelligence (AI).”

“The government developed the concept paper to determine the basis for formulating the related policy and laws on the use and operation of AI… The report has made recommendations to the government to enact the necessary policies, laws and procedures for the development, use and regulation of AI.”

“Pointing out the need to address the issues of cyber security, data protection and privacy at the policy level, the report suggested formulating a national policy related to AI, to make a national strategy, and framework of data protection along with legal bases for the use of AI and the privacy of users… ‘A strategy should be taken to promote privacy protection, transparency and accountability, research on development and promotion of use of AI as well as increasing investment and collaboration,’ reads the report.” Radio Nepal

Selected text from the National AI Policy (draft) — institutional design, vision, objectives (excerpted)

“पररच् छेद दुई : नीसि िंरचना”

“३. दुरदृष्ट्र ि (Vision) : ए.आई. रविणालीको ष्ट्र िकाि र िष्ट्रिय , िमािेशी ि ा नैसिक रवियोगिाट िमुन्न ि नेपालको सनमािण ।”

"४. ध् येय (Mission ):

ए.आई.को रू पान्िरणकारी िम्पभािनालाई उपयोग गदै िामाजजक ि ा आस ि क िृष्ट्रि हाँसिल गने।"

"५. लक्ष्य (Goal ):

निरवििििन र उद्यमशीलिाको रवििििन, ष्ट्र िद्य मान ििंरचनाहरू को ििसलकरण एििं क्षे रगि िमन् िय र िहकायि माि ि ि कुल गाहिस््य उत्पादनमा ए.आई. क्षे रको योगदान बढाउने।"

“6.1 िुरजक्षि एििं ददगो ए.आई . इकोसिस्टमको सनमािण गनुि , 6.2 ए.आई .को क्षे रमा जनशजि ष्ट्र िकाि, अध्ययन , अनुिन्मान , निरवििििन र उद्यमशीलिाको ष्ट्र िकाि गनुि , 6.3 ए.आई .को रवियोग माि ि ि क्षे रगि ष्ट्र िकाि र िाििजसनक िेिाको गुणस्िर मा िुमार गनुि , 6.4 ए.आई . ष्ट्र िकाि एििं िुरजक्ष ि रवियोगको लासग िमन्िय , िहकायि , सनयमन र अनुगमन गनुि” Ministry of Communication and Information Technology

Policy levers and strategy (draft excerpts)

“7.1 िुरजक्षि एििं ददगो ए.आई . इकोसिस्टमको सनमािणका लासग कानननी र ििंस् आलि व् यिस् ा गररनेछ…”

“8.3 ए.आई.को ष्ट्र िकाि र रवियोगको लासग आिश्यक सडजजटल पुिािमार सनमािण गने।”

“9.10 ए.आई. को िुरजक्षि , नैसिक र जजम्प मेिार रवियोगका िम्पबन्ममा सनयमन , अनुगमन ि ा मुल्याङ्कन गने।”

“9.20 ष्ट्र िद्यालय , ष्ट्र िश्वष्ट्रिद्यालय लगायि ष्ट्र िसभन्न िैक्क्षक िंस्थाको पाठ्यिम मा ए.आई. िम्पबन्मी ष्ट्र ििय िमाबेश गने ।”

“10.1 ए.आई. सनयमन पररिद् : … ए.आई. सनयमन पररिद्को िक्चिालयको रू पमा राष्ट्र िय ए.आई. केन् िले कायि गनेछ।” National AI Policy draft (PDF)

Practical priorities reflected in the sources

  • Build data governance, privacy and cybersecurity legal frameworks before large-scale deployment: “Pointing out the need to address the issues of cyber security, data protection and privacy at the policy level…” Radio Nepal

  • Invest in digital infrastructure, high-performance computing and national data-centres: “9.17 उच्च कायिक्षमिा कम्प्युष्ट्रटङ…” National AI Policy draft (PDF)

  • Create institutions for governance, standards, research and an AI regulatory council: “10.1 ए.आई. सनयमन पररिद् …” National AI Policy draft (PDF)

  • Prioritise sectoral pilots (health, education, agriculture, energy, disaster management, public services) and regulatory sandboxes: “9.29… 9.31… 9.36… 9.10 ए.आई. प्र णाली को िुरक्क्ष ि ष्ट्र िकाि र परी क्ष णका लासग सनयिनकारी स् यान्िबसि (Regulatory Sandbox) को व् यिस् थ गने।” National AI Policy draft (PDF)

Synthesis (based on the fetched sources)

  • Nepal’s policy work already identifies core needs: legal frameworks on data/privacy, institutional bodies (AI Council, National AI Centre), investment in infrastructure, skills and research, and sectoral deployment plans. Radio Nepal National AI Policy draft (PDF)

  • The Government AI Readiness Index score (30.77) highlights gaps in technology sector capacity and government preparedness that the draft policy intends to address. Radio Nepal

:speech_balloon: Share Your Thoughts

  • Which recommendation from the draft policy matters most for immediate action?
  • Do you agree that data governance and privacy laws must come before scaled AI deployments?
  • Which public sectors (health, education, agriculture, disaster management, taxation, justice) should be prioritised for AI pilots in Nepal?
  • How should policymakers balance ethical safeguards (transparency, fairness) with the need to accelerate digital public services?
  • What local measures would help raise Nepal’s AI readiness ranking most quickly?

Sources (excerpts used above):