Unpacking AI Procurement in a Box: Insights from Implementation

In 2021, the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Brazil implemented the AI Procurement in a Box Guidelines in two unprecedented pilots, one with the Metrô de São Paulo and the other with the Hospital das Clínicas of the University of São Paulo. Both pilots reaffirmed the importance of guidance on how to procure safe and ethical artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ ML) tools, exploring additional challenges for their widespread use in the public sector.

These pilots have brought insights into the cross-cutting challenges in implementing the toolkit in other countries, including AI and governance maturity, and skills for developing and deploying these technologies. This report outlines new topics and mechanisms needed to make AI Procurement in a Box accessible to nations in the Global South. It also contains a monitoring and evaluation framework which can guide the deployment of future AI Procurement in a Box pilots and allow for cross-country and regional comparisons by looking at success metrics for project implementation and the wider dissemination of best practices in the public sector.