From South Korea to Germany, Tom Merritt looks at five countries innovating in AI.

Top 5 AI countries Watch Now

AI and automation can be useful for data analysis and efficiency, but not every part of the world is as ready as others for it. Where is the talent? Where is the infrastructure? Where should you be looking to do your AI business?

The Economist and ABB Group recently put together an Automation Readiness Index. Here are five countries ready for AI.

South Korea: It has top scores in encouraging innovation, providing education resources that advance AI learning, and Labour policies that retrain and develop AI-relevant skills. Germany: Home for some of the largest automation leaders thanks in part to a tech hub dubbed Cyber Valley between Stuttgart and Tübingen. Germany also ties for tops in Labour market policies. Singapore: Tied with Germany for the top in Labour market policies. It has multiple startups from FinTech to smart bikes and was the pioneering testbed for NuTonomy's self-driving car. Japan: It leads in innovation; Japan's best known industry in automation is robotics like Softbank's Pepper. Canada: Its strength is education. The Economist notes that Ontario is adapting its educational systems and teaching approaches to advanced technologies. And the Federal government in Canada is ranked highly for encouraging innovation and strong Labour policies.

SEE: Artificial intelligence: Trends, obstacles, and potential wins (Tech Pro Research)

It's subjective and certainly open to interpretation. Estonia barely misses the top 5, followed by France, the UK, the US, and Australia.

And the ABB Group notes that even the top countries aren't fully prepared.

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