Co-designing Timor-Leste’s Path to Inclusive AI

A Big Question for a Small Nation

What does responsible AI look like in a country still building its digital foundations? Timor-Leste is facing this question head-on. With the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, the government recognized the need to assess the nation’s preparedness—not just technically, but socially and ethically. This wasn’t about catching up to global trends. It was about shaping a future that reflects local values, priorities, and rights.

A Collaborative Launchpad for Responsible Innovation

Bringing together government, youth, civil society, and global partners to map the way forward.

Catalpa partnered with the Ministry of Transport and Communications, TIC Timor, and UNESCO to deliver the country’s first national AI Readiness Assessment using UNESCO’s AI RAM framework. Our approach was grounded in human-centered design and participatory facilitation—creating space for dialogue, debate, and imagination.

From high-level ministries to grassroots youth groups, voices across Timor-Leste helped shape the national AI conversation. Together, we explored how AI intersects with education, law, infrastructure, culture, and the economy—through inclusive workshops, targeted focus groups, and community engagement.

Designing the Process Around People, Not Just Policies

Using human-centered design to surface insights, fears, hopes—and a shared vision.

Through a series of structured sessions, we invited participants to reflect on where the country stands today and where it wants to go. The process examined five core dimensions of AI readiness:

• Culture & Society
• Legal and Regulatory Frameworks
• Science & Education
• Economic Opportunity
• Infrastructure & Technical Capacity

A standout moment: a youth-led session that reframed the conversation with fresh urgency—centering the need for technology that empowers, protects, and reflects the realities of Timor-Leste’s next generation.

A Foundation for the Future

This work represents more than an assessment—it’s a commitment. A commitment to building a future where AI is introduced with care, governed with integrity, and used in ways that enhance public good. As AI becomes more embedded in society, Timor-Leste is taking a proactive step—ensuring that its development is shaped by the people it will most affect.