KINGSTON, Jamaica – Amid concerns that artificial intelligence will lead to loss of jobs by making some human tasks redundant, Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Daryl Vaz, says Jamaica must prepare its youth with the best digital offerings to master the development of technology in their chosen field.

Vaz made the remarks at Flow Jamaica’s inaugural Girls in ICT Expo, a forum that brought together over 200 girls from a cross-section of high schools, at the AC Marriott hotel on Lady Musgrave Road in Kingston.

Held under the theme ‘Digital Skills for Life’, the expo targeted girls to increase their awareness of and interest in ICT-focused careers. The event is in keeping with Flow Jamaica’s overall push for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

Vaz cited his appreciation for the event conceptualised to amplify the message that young girls should embrace female empowerment and pursue studies in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and careers in Information and Communications Technology (ICT), while highlighting the importance of digital literacy.

“The pandemic showed us how essential technology is to virtually every industry…and during this period, it became embedded in our everyday life,” related Vaz of COVID-19, which changed life patterns globally by forcing lockdowns, leaving persons with no choice but to work, study and socialise virtually.

Alluding to the changes, Vaz said “Science and technology is the way forward in finding solutions to the world’s problems,” and noted that even if one does not follow tech-related sources, they would have seen on social media “the rise of artificial intelligence and innovations like chatGPT, that will revolutionise the future of many sectors.”

Minister Vaz encouraged the over 200 girls in attendance not to focus on the loss of traditional jobs due to technological development but to prepare for the career opportunities on the horizon due to the innovation happening within the sector.

“While I understand the concerns, I take a different approach, especially concerning our youth. If we prepare and empower our youth with the necessary digital knowledge and skills, they can harness the full potential of AI technology for any field,” Minister Vaz said.

He continued, “Therefore our priority is to ensure that all of you here today can take full advantage of the digital tools available to succeed in your chosen careers,” he emphasised.

“Only by doing so can we can modernise Jamaica’s workforce and create an optimal digital ecosystem for our country.”

Noting changes in what used to be the norm, Vaz impressed upon the young women a need to embrace their abilities and strive for excellence.

The event’s keynote speaker was Jamaican-born Natalie Bennett, senior project manager at Google. Minister Vaz referenced the UTECH graduate’s accomplishments with the global organization as he sought to encourage the girls in attendance.

“Natalie left Jamaica in 2010 and look at what she’s been able to achieve. No matter where Jamaicans go, especially Jamaican women, they blaze a trail and make us proud. I want you all to think about that, think about where you are and where you want to go and use her as an inspiration,” he said.

Minister Vaz also highlighted the strong representation of women in the lower and upper houses of parliament as well as the fact that the current Vice President of the United States, Kamla Harris, is not only female but also has Jamaican roots.

“It means there’s no dream that can be too big, and there’s nothing that you aspire to be that you can’t achieve if you put in all the work that is necessary,” Vaz said.