Artificial intelligence (AI) could raise Mozambique’s gross domestic product by US$324 million over ten years, but realising that potential depends on overcoming barriers related to electricity access, internet connectivity, and youth education. That is the central finding of the 2026 Ayre Index, a study assessing the readiness of young people across Commonwealth nations to capture economic opportunities created by AI.

According to the study, cited in a statement sent to Diário Económico, Mozambique ranks 44th among the 56 countries analysed, scoring 38.9 out of 100 — below the 53-point readiness threshold established by the researchers. Only 15 countries reached or exceeded that threshold, placing Mozambique among those still struggling to prepare young people for the technological transformation under way.

Among the principal barriers identified is limited access to the basic infrastructure required to use technology. Only 36.9% of the Mozambican population has access to electricity, roughly half of young people own a mobile phone, and just 35% reported using the internet. The study also points to the high cost of mobile data relative to household incomes as a factor restricting regular access to digital tools.

These difficulties are compounded by risks related to digital security and privacy. An international survey conducted in 2021 found that 79.3% of Mozambican internet users aged 15 to 29 were highly concerned about the possibility of their personal data being stolen while using the internet or social media. That was the highest proportion among the 27 Commonwealth countries with comparable data. In the rights, safety, and participation pillar, Mozambique scored just 1.8 out of ten.

The constraints also extend to the labour market, where the majority of young people remain distant from the occupations most likely to benefit directly from advances in AI. The study notes that 80.5% of employed youth live in poverty, in a context marked by informality and a low presence of workers aged 25 to 29 in highly skilled professions. Data from the International Labour Organization (ILO) further indicate that only 0.3% of Mozambican workers aged 15 to 24 are employed in the two occupational categories most exposed to generative AI — one of the lowest proportions among the countries analysed.

Despite these constraints, the study identifies significant economic opportunities for the country. With approximately 9.7 million young people aged 15 to 29, Mozambique could record a GDP-level increase of US$324 million over ten years in a moderate scenario. Estimates range from US$156 million in a conservative scenario to US$491 million in an optimistic one. The calculations were carried out by the Ayre Think Tank, a research centre focused on emerging technologies and development, based on the IMF’s economic impact scenarios for AI. The figures represent possible increases in the level of GDP at the end of that period, not annual gains.

AI Opens Opportunities but Demands Stronger Skills Development

For Calvin Ayre, founder of the Ayre Think Tank, AI represents an economic transformation opportunity that is also within reach of developing countries. “AI is going to change the way we work, do business, and create wealth. But this is not a race that only the largest or richest countries can win,” he said. He argued that young people must have access to the skills and opportunities needed to start businesses, find employment, and develop their own projects.

In Mozambique, several government initiatives are seeking to address these challenges through stronger youth training and entrepreneurship support. In October this year, the government inaugurated a youth entrepreneurship incubator in Nampula, joining similar centres already operating in Maputo and Pemba. In the same month, the Ministry of Education and Culture announced MAZA IA, an initiative developed by MOZEDU and Vodacom Mozambique to support students and teachers in learning about AI.

To accelerate youth readiness, the Ayre Index recommends five priority intervention areas: ensuring affordable and reliable access to technology; strengthening education with practical skills; improving links between training, employment, and entrepreneurship; developing AI tools adapted to local languages and needs; and creating protection mechanisms that allow young people to challenge decisions made by automated systems. Professor C. Justin Robinson, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the Five Islands Campus of the University of the West Indies, argues that young people must move beyond being mere consumers of technologies developed abroad and begin to participate in their improvement and governance.

Titled the Ayre Index: Commonwealth Youth AI Readiness Index 2026, the study analysed 1,128 research sources and assessed the conditions affecting approximately 732 million young people across the 56 Commonwealth countries. The ranking covers seven pillars and uses 102 indicators on a scale of zero to 100. The researchers clarify in the study that the economic values presented represent possible increases in the level of GDP at the end of ten years, and do not constitute country-specific forecasts or estimates of income that will be directly received by young people.

Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/?p=558668