Unraveling the Nexus between National Culture and AI plan development and AI readiness: Insights from a configurational analysis

Artificial intelligence (AI) applications have increased in maturity and scale across the public sector, leading for calls to investigate AI's impact on public policy development and outcomes. This study investigates the intricate interplay between Hofstede's cultural dimensions and outcomes related to strategic AI plan development and national AI readiness. Utilizing qualitative comparative analysis (QCA), we examine data from 33 nations to discern patterns and configurations within this rich interplay. Our findings underscore the significance of considering multiple cultural dimensions in tandem, revealing a conjunctional relationship where no single cultural factor operates independently but rather should be viewed as a cohesive portfolio of dimensions. Equifinality is prevalent, indicating myriad pathways to both success and failure in strategic AI plan development and national AI readiness. We also find the relationship between national culture and national AI readiness stronger than that with strategic AI plans. We attribute this to national AI readiness being a measure of a known “as-is” state compared to strategic AI plans being an expression of an aspirational “to-be” state, a difference accentuated by the disruptive novelty of AI as technology and hence the immaturity of the AI field. We expect that, as the field matures and subsequent iterations of policy are developed, the national culture's relationship with strategic AI plans will strengthen as countries align those plans with their circumstances. Equifinality suggests that each country can find its own path, and while national culture offers valuable insights today, future research should explore how evolving cultural, institutional, and policy contexts shape the adaptation and refinement of strategic AI plans over time.