AI Adoption, Innovation Ecosystems, and Economic Transformation in the Global South

Artificial intelligence is reshaping economic prospects across the Global South. This article examines verifiable evidence of AI ecosystem development in Brazil, Nigeria, and Kenya as representative cases, drawing on institutional data from the Stanford AI Index, GSMA, AfDB, OECD, and national policy documents. It finds that sovereign policy commitments are beginning to consolidate market signals but that a significant gap between adoption intensity and capital formation persists. Four sectors (health logistics, agricultural advisory, AI-enabled fintech, and African-language AI) show the most credible unit economics. Bridging the capital gap before 2030 is the decisive challenge for policymakers and investors alike.