AI must be inclusive, ethical, and accessible – values that align deeply with Bhutan’s societal structure, governance, and cultural philosophy. Here’s why Bhutan is in a better position to lead in ethical AI development and adoption:
Inclusivity: A Small and Connected Communities

Bhutan’s close-knit communities can easily collaborate and coordinate among Individuals, Organizations, and Government bodies. Unlike larger nations where AI development is fragmented, Bhutan’s high social cohesion will enable collective action toward AI education and implementation. Government, civil society, and private sectors can work together, making inclusive AI policies and initiatives easier to implement.
Bhutan’s strong sense of community and cooperation ensures that AI benefits all citizens, rather than being concentrated in elite institutions or corporations.
Bhutan can create a Comprehensive National AI strategy, ensuring that AI serves everyone, from rural farmers to urban professionals.
Ethics: Deeply Rooted in Bhutanese Culture & Values

Bhutan has always placed Bhutanese values and ethics at the core of decision-making, influenced by its Buddhist philosophy and Gross National Happiness (GNH) framework. AI in Bhutan will naturally be guided by ethical considerations, ensuring its use promotes happiness, sustainability, and social good rather than corporate profit alone.
Bhutanese culture emphasizes good thoughts, non-harm, and collective well-being, aligning with global calls for responsible AI development. Ethical concerns such as bias, misinformation, and surveillance are significant AI challenges globally and can be proactively addressed within Bhutan’s values-based governance.
Bhutan can be a leader in ethical AI development, ensuring AI systems align with human well-being rather than unchecked commercial interests.
Accessibility: AI for All Bhutanese

As a small society, Bhutan has a unique advantage in rolling out AI education, infrastructure, and policies more efficiently than larger nations. The government provides free education and healthcare, meaning AI literacy can be integrated into education without many systemic barriers.
Bhutan has an abundance of clean energy, such as electricity, which makes Model Training and development more sustainable and cost-effective. AI is evolving to require less computational power due to advances in algorithm efficiency, meaning Bhutan does not need massive GPU infrastructure to train and deploy AI models.
Bhutan can ensure widespread access to AI education and tools, creating AI-literate citizens across all sectors.
Two Pertinent Challenges

- Bhutan currently lacks technical expertise, with only a limited pool of AI specialists and researchers. Therefore, there is a need to build technical capacity while embedding soft skills such as critical thinking, communications skill and creativity.
- One important challenge is the resource constraints in terms of financial resources for R&D and AI infrastructure, even if they are minimal. However, Bhutan can leverage open-source models and micro models to train AI models to cater to the needs of Bhutan.
How Bhutan Can Excel in AI?
In a nutshell:
- AI for Public Good: Bhutan can develop AI applications that improve healthcare, agriculture, governance, and education-aligned with Gross National Happiness (GNH).
- Sustainable AI Development: Bhutan’s commitment to green energy can position it as a global leader in low-carbon AI infrastructure.
- AI Talent Development: By integrating AI into schools, universities, and training programs, Bhutan can train a new generation of AI leaders.
- Global Leadership in Ethical AI: Bhutan’s values-based approach allows it to be a voice in AI governance, regulation, and responsible AI adoption worldwide.
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