ITU publishes guide to help regulators assess AI preparedness
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has published a practical guide for policy makers and regulators on collaborative AI frameworks, paired with a step-by-step preparedness diagnostic. The publication, listed under ITU-D, aims to help authorities turn AI policy goals into workable institutional and regulatory action.
- The ITU has published a practical guide on collaborative AI frameworks for policy makers and regulators.
- The guide updates analysis of collaborative AI frameworks in light of legal, institutional and policy developments from 2023 to 2026.
- It introduces a step-by-step AI preparedness diagnostic for national and subnational authorities.
- The diagnostic assesses institutional, infrastructural, legal, technical and human-capacity foundations.
What the guide is for
The publication is titled Collaborative artificial intelligence (AI) frameworks and preparedness diagnostic: A practical guide for policy makers and regulators. According to the ITU, it is designed to help policy makers and regulators move from stated AI policy goals to institutional and regulatory measures that can actually be put into practice.
It is filed in the ITU's categories for artificial intelligence and for tech policy and regulations, and it carries the ITU-D label. The page lists the publication with a 2026 date.
Two main objectives
The ITU describes two objectives for the guide.
- Updating the analysis of collaborative AI frameworks. The guide is meant to update and enrich earlier analysis in light of the latest legal, institutional and policy developments from 2023 to 2026.
- Introducing a preparedness diagnostic. The guide presents a practical, step-by-step AI preparedness diagnostic.
The diagnostic is intended for national and subnational authorities. Its purpose is to help them assess whether the necessary foundations are in place to operationalize collaborative frameworks.
Five areas of foundation
The ITU names five types of foundation that the diagnostic looks at: institutional, infrastructural, legal, technical and human-capacity. Together, these cover the organizational structures, physical and digital systems, rules, technical means and skills that governments need before collaborative AI frameworks can function in practice.
The source text does not give further detail on the steps of the diagnostic, the specific frameworks analyzed, or the countries covered.
What it means for authorities
The guide targets both national and subnational authorities, which suggests it is meant to be used beyond central governments. For regulators facing the gap between AI policy ambitions and implementation, the ITU positions the diagnostic as a way to check readiness before putting collaborative frameworks into operation.
The page also links to related ITU material, including a report on the AI in Education, Research and Skills Development Roundtable from 2026, and a news item from 17 Aug 2026 titled "Transforming women’s leadership into action in the AI era".
