Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the ability of machines to understand the world around them, learn, and make decisions. AI is an interdisciplinary and human-centred field.

In the coming years AI technology will exert an enormous impact on economic development and the nature of work. It will also radically reshape the competitive dynamics of many industries. Because of this, many leaders believe that their countries’ futures hang in the balance. It is no wonder that governments are rushing to foster AI investment, establish educational programmes, and pursue research and development to support businesses within their borders.

The novel coronavirus pandemic accelerated several significant trends, including remote working, risk management at the forefront, e-commerce migration, digital products, and consumer appetites towards convenience and personalised experiences.

Most major companies already have experience with digital applications, such as digital marketing, automation, and data analytics. But AI, which enables machines to solve problems and take actions that in the past could only be done by humans, builds on that.

AI tools can analyse immense volumes of data to learn underlying patterns, enabling computer systems to make complex decisions, predict human behaviour, and recognise images and human speech, among many other things. AI-enabled systems can learn and adapt to different levels of complexity and usefulness.

Jamaica and AI

Jamaica is one country that seems to be embracing AI technology. Minister of Science, Energy, and Technology Fayval Williams says research indicates that by 2020, 30 per cent of all day-to-day businesses will implement AI as a part of their transformation strategy.

“We are in the digital era where the only constant is change,” she said. “The technological revolution and transformation that are characteristics of the Digital Age have significantly changed and reshaped the way we operate daily and in business.”

So, here lies our question: What if Jamaica developed a National AI Strategy?

Many governments have developed formal AI frameworks to help spur economic and technological growth. These range from the US executive order on AI leadership and China’s “Next Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan” to “AI Made in Germany” and the “Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy”. These strategies foster talent and education, government investment, research, and collaborative partnerships.

But governments face more than technological and economic challenges. Privacy, explainability, human bias, safety, transparency, accountability, and regulation of AI-enabled systems should be considered without curtailing innovation and the potential economic benefits. We are already in contact with AI in different ways whenever we interact with technology, through online marketing, e-commerce and entertainment platforms. Jamaica can use AI for economic growth, public safety & health, job creation, and to grow Brand Jamaica.

The JTDA is supporting the AI wave. Our vision is to enable people and businesses by providing technology access, influence, and empowerment. We intend to increase the efficiency, prescriptive capabilities, and sustainability of the operations and people who power our economy.

To do this we must:

* upskilling workers from all industries to apply analytics and machine learning on the job;

* help organizations make better decisions by leveraging business expertise, data analytics and predictive modelling;

* support the local use and development of products and services that utilises AI; and

* supporting outreach and STEM programmes to demystify AI and promote accountability and responsible usage.

Despite AI potentially adding value to any field it is applied to, not all problems should or can be currently solved with AI. Still, business understanding, data analytics and insights derived from data should never be omitted from the problem-solving process.

The JTDA aims to support nationwide STEM initiatives, provide advisory services for the integration of analytics, and AI in all industries, upskill public sector workers, provide analytical assistance to all Government interests and objectives.

Let’s connect and discuss the societal value and impact of analytics and AI.

Adrian Dunkley, president of the Jamaica Technology and Digital Alliance, is the founder and CEO of Starapple AI, founded in 2020, aims to make Jamaica the Global HUB for Analytics and AI innovation.