Jamaica Lays Strong Foundation for AI Governance

Jamaica has established a strong foundation for the adoption and governance of artificial intelligence (AI) through the enactment of the Data Protection Act and the Cybersecurity Act, ensuring the nation is well-positioned to harness AI across diverse local sectors.

Building on this framework, the National AI Task Force – formed in 2023 – successfully delivered Jamaica’s national AI policy recommendations in 2024.

This was noted by Minister Without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with Responsibility for Science, Technology and Special Projects, Dr. the Hon. Andrew Wheatley.

“As you can see, step by step, Jamaica has been building the foundation of a coherent, ethical, and people-centred national AI agenda,” Dr. Wheatley stated.

He was speaking during the launch of the AI Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) Report for Jamaica held on Wednesday (April 1) at Jamaica House.

Minister Without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with Responsibility for Science, Technology and Special Projects, Dr. the Hon. Andrew Wheatley (right), and Director General at United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Professor Khaled El-Enany, in discussion during the launch of the AI Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) Report for Jamaica, held on Wednesday (April 1) at Jamaica House. The assessment was conducted in partnership with UNESCO, with funding from the European Union (EU).

The assessment was carried out in partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), with funding support from the European Union (EU).

Guided by UNESCO’s 2021 global AI readiness methodology, which provides recommendations on the ethical use of AI, the local report was developed through assessments of preparedness across five critical sectors: legal and regulatory, technological and infrastructural, economic, social and cultural, and scientific and educational.

It reflects the perspectives of nearly 200 Jamaicans, including researchers, entrepreneurs, government officials, youth, and community representatives.

The National AI Task Force also served as the Steering Committee for the assessment, contributing expertise from the private sector, academia, government, and civil society.

Dr. Wheatley noted that, although Jamaica boasts a digitally engaged population and a growing tech ecosystem, the assessment highlighted critical gaps that must be addressed to ensure ethical and inclusive AI governance.

“We need stronger institutional infrastructure for AI governance, including a National AI Oversight and Implementation Council. We must expand AI education from early childhood to tertiary and vocational levels, close the gender gap in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), and scale community-based AI literacy across the country,” he noted.

“We must leverage AI as a driver of national productivity in agriculture, tourism, healthcare, and public services, while at the same time creating the investment conditions that attract partnership and capital,” the Minister added.

Reaffirming the Government’s commitment to closing these gaps, Dr. Wheatley announced that, following the completion of both the National AI Policy Recommendations and the UNESCO Readiness Assessment, the drafting of Jamaica’s National AI Policy is now under way.

He emphasised that the policy will be firmly aligned with the Vision 2030 Jamaica mandate and grounded in UNESCO’s ethical principles.

“This policy will be developed transparently, submitted through the proper channels to the Cabinet, and go through the Cabinet process to ensure that we have the widest input as is possible, and implemented through a dedicated coordination framework,” Dr. Wheatley committed.

Partners in the AI RAM Report for Jamaica, Regional Director and Representative of the UNESCO Regional Office for the Caribbean, Eric Falt, and Head of Cooperation for the Delegation of the EU to Jamaica, Aniceto Rodriguez Ruiz, who represented EU Ambassador to Jamaica, Her Excellency Dr. Erja Askola, described the initiative’s completion as a “significant milestone that takes Jamaica one step further on its journey of responsible technological advancement and innovation”.