ADAMANT that the Africa-Caribbean region must intentionally band together to develop and reap the “prosperity” from generative artificial intelligence (AI), The University of the West Indies’ PJ Patterson Institute for Africa-Caribbean Advocacy has made good on its promise to set up a hub to kick-start that process.

Speaking during the official launch of the Africa-Caribbean Hub for Generative Artificial Intelligence at the University of the West Indies, Mona on Wednesday, former Prime Minister PJ Patterson, statesman in residence at the institute, said the goal “is to spearhead the development of generative artificial intelligence industries in these regions into localised, knowledge-intensive and value- and wealth-creating globally competitive industries”.

Noting that the institute had in April indicated that it would this month formally launch the pilot study for education, research, finance, trade and industrial development for Africa and the Caribbean, Patterson said, “We are pleased to be able to do so today as we seek to build an edifice of technological innovation in which we deploy our assets within our global economy, [and] leverage our own human capital and resource base under our own sovereign control to promote our shared prosperity.”

The AI hub project is a collaboration initiative between the institute, the Economic Empowerment and Global Learning Project, and the Policy Studies Programme at Lafayette College with funding from the AFREEXIM Bank. The hub aims to enhance regional capacity in artificial intelligence significantly, and has five main objectives. Those include a focus on economic integration which will involve establishing a collaborative hub that fosters economic linkages between Africa and the Caribbean chiefly in the sectors of generative AI and resource extraction for AI infrastructure. On the technological development side, emphasis will be placed on building and strengthening capacities in generative AI and research and development in both regions by creating training programmes, research partnerships, and start-up incubators. Focus will also be placed on promoting the ethical sourcing and sustainable management of critical resources necessary for AI technologies, ensuring that regions are not just mere providers of raw material but active participants in the AI value chain. Furthermore it will seek to influence global AI policy frameworks to ensure Africa and the Caribbean and not sidelined in shaping the future of the industry.

Wednesday, Patterson maintained that the region has been lagging despite being well-resourced.

“Generative AI, as we know, is rapidly reshaping industries across the entire globe, from health care and education to finance and manufacturing, to tourism and entertainment; however, the regions of Africa and the Caribbean have until now remained underrepresented in that technological revolution. Yes, we are rich in natural resources including minerals critical for AI infrastructure such as cobalt, lithium and even rare earth elements, we also have the presence of young, digitally savvy populations, but we lack the structured linkages and there is not the effective collaboration between the regions. That has imposed a limit on our participation in emerging technologies,” he pointed out.

“We cannot afford for Africa and the Caribbean to remain largely excluded from global technological development discussions, especially in cutting-edge sectors like AI. We realise that in a world driven by AI and technology, [and] we must create our own, if we don’t, we will be plunged into utter darkness,” Patterson said further.

In the meantime, he said “a wide range of industries in African and Caribbean economies will benefit significantly from the resulting knowledge spillover”.

“What we are seeking to do is to fashion an AI ecosystem that drives economic growth so as to ensure that the specific challenges and opportunities of the six regions which constitute Global Africa are fully integrated into the global technological landscape,” he added.

Professor Gladstone Hutchinson, professor of economics at Lafayette College in the United States, and principal director for the hub, in an overview of the project said with projections showing that the economies of the Latin America and Caribbean region are the “slowest-growing anywhere in the world” and will remain so through to 2028, the project represents “an extraordinary moment”.

“If we are able to achieve some of these ends we would have made that important pivot not only in terms of wealth, but in terms of the psychology of knowing that we are in charge of our own destiny,” Hutchinson declared.

Sandrea Maynard, pro-vice chancellor, Office of Global Affairs, The University of the West Indies, in her remarks, said the time for resistance has long passed.

“When we look at generative AI we should really also be looking at unlocking the potential between Africa and the Caribbean. We have also seen a significant advancement within the digital space, some of us, I would say, have adapted well; others are still resisting. But we are now evolving even further into the fifth industrial revolution. So those of us who are resisting change cannot resist any further, we have to jump on the bandwagon,” she stated.

“There’s a lot of talent between our regions and we really need to ensure that we can take the opportunity to maximise that potential. The rest of the world…is advancing…and what we don’t want to be in this region is to be behind the curve because if we are not moving forward, we are in effect, moving backwards,” Maynard opined.