Note on the Four Lenses of AI Adoption in Developing Economies

This Note equips students and practitioners with an analytical toolkit to assess AI ventures beyond hype cycles, enabling them to evaluate where defensible advantages may emerge, how business models must adapt to fragmented markets, and what ecosystem conditions are necessary for AI to scale sustainably across the Global South. It further challenges students to analyze the interaction between digital public infrastructure, private capital, and entrepreneurial strategy in shaping AI diffusion across emerging markets. Students are challenged to compare adoption pathways across regions, assess the risks of infrastructure and investment gaps, and formulate context-sensitive strategies for building and financing AI ventures in resource-constrained environments.