The Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication (CAERC) took part in the international consultation process carried out within the framework of preparing the World Bank's flagship publication, the "World Development Report 2026: Artificial Intelligence for Development." Regarded as one of the most authoritative analytical publications in the field of global economic development and public policy, the report assesses the opportunities and challenges that artificial intelligence presents for developing countries.

According to the report's concept document, CAERC was among the influential international organizations, government agencies, research centers, development partners, and leading technology companies engaged in the consultations during the report's preparation. The consultation process involved OpenAI, Microsoft, Google, Meta, NVIDIA, Amazon, Anthropic, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), UNICEF, UNDP, and numerous other prominent research and policy institutions working in the field of artificial intelligence.

Commenting on the World Bank's report, Rashad Najafli, Deputy Head of CAERC's Economic Analysis Department, noted that artificial intelligence holds the potential to accelerate economic growth, increase productivity, promote entrepreneurship, improve the quality of public services, and enhance decision-making processes. According to him, the report particularly emphasizes that developing countries do not need to create advanced AI models of their own in order to benefit from these opportunities. The main priority, he said, is adapting existing AI technologies to local conditions, languages, and development priorities, as well as ensuring their effective application.

Per the World Bank's assessment, rather than replacing the workforce in developing countries, artificial intelligence will expand its capabilities and contribute to higher productivity and improved service quality.

The report emphasizes that digital infrastructure, institutional capacity, data governance, and human capital are key prerequisites for the successful use of artificial intelligence. At the same time, AI creates opportunities for government agencies to strengthen forecasting capabilities, use resources more efficiently, increase transparency and accountability, and deliver more effective, citizen-oriented services.

Rashad Najafli noted that the World Bank's report demonstrates that artificial intelligence is being recognized not merely as a technological innovation, but as a new engine of development. He stated that CAERC's involvement in this process reflects the growing international recognition of Azerbaijan's experience in digital transformation, evidence-based policymaking, and data-driven governance. He further noted that the approaches reflected in the report align with the digital transformation policy being implemented in Azerbaijan, where significant results have been achieved in recent years in data-driven governance, electronic monitoring systems, and the application of AI-based solutions.

It should be noted that CAERC is one of the country's leading institutions in the practical application of artificial intelligence in public administration. The Center carries out the monitoring and evaluation of strategic state programs, strategies, and action plans implemented in the Republic of Azerbaijan through the centralized "Smart Unified Electronic Reporting Platform." The platform makes extensive use of artificial intelligence technologies for data collection, processing, and analysis, risk identification, results evaluation, and decision-support purposes.

CAERC's achievements in the fields of data-driven governance and the integration of artificial intelligence into the public sector have also received high recognition at the international level.