TEHRAN – The first artificial intelligence (AI) innovation, metaverse, and blockchain acceleration center, named Hamta, was launched in Tehran on Monday.

The main objective is to attract the participation of technology experts in addressing the technological needs of sports at all levels, from championship to public activities, Mehr news agency reported.

The Ministry of Sports and Youth, in cooperation with the Vice Presidency for Science, Technology, and Knowledge-Based Economy, has allocated a significant budget for the production of technological sports devices.

It is expected that with the inauguration of the first sports AI center in Iran, knowledge-based companies in this area will develop.

Iran’s ranking improves in Government AI Readiness 

According to the latest report by Oxford Insights index, which measures government readiness for implementing artificial intelligence (AI) in public services, Iran ranks 91st among 188 countries, moving up three positions compared to 94th in 2023.

AI has a key role to play –not just in governing the technology, but in helping governments perform better.

The Government AI Readiness Index has become a trusted resource for policymakers, adopted as an official benchmark by national governments.

In this year’s edition, the AI readiness of 188 countries at a time of growing complexity, where governments face evolving citizen needs and challenges like economic uncertainty, climate risks, and rising inequalities. 

The 2024 index examines 40 indicators across three pillars: Government, Technology Sector, and Data & Infrastructure. It highlights progress, identifies gaps, and provides actionable insights for policymakers working to integrate AI into public service delivery.

At its core, the index asks ‘how ready are governments to implement AI in the delivery of public services?’ By answering this question, it aims to offer a practical tool that supports evidence-based decision-making and helps policymakers unlock AI’s potential to serve citizens better worldwide.

According to the index, the country’s best ranking is in the Data and Infrastructure pillar, 66.29 which has improved compared to 55.88 last year. It includes infrastructure (70), data availability (43), and data representativeness (121) indicators. 

The country’s score in the Technology pillar is 38.82, it was 38.77 in 2023. It includes human capital (54), innovation capacity (62), and maturity (82) indicators. 

Iran’s lowest score is in the Government pillar, 26.54, which has decreased compared to 31.56 in 2023. It includes vision (84), governance and ethics (145), digital capacity (92), and adaptability (177).

According to this year’s report, Iran’s ranking in the region has improved by one position, rising from 17 in 2023 to 16 in 2024.   

The top ten countries are the United States, Singapore, South Korea, France, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany, Finland, and Australia.

MT/MG