THE recent announcement of the launch of the Africa-Caribbean Hub for Generative Artificial Intelligence, as reported in the Jamaica Observer on June 12, 2025, marks a pivotal moment for two regions that have long shared cultural ties but are only now beginning to build a shared digital destiny.

Hosted at the University of the West Indies (UWI) and powered by partnerships with the Economic Empowerment and Global Learning Project and the policy studies programme at Lafayette College, with funding from the Afrexim Bank, the initiative signals a long-overdue effort to reframe how we participate in the artificial intelligence (AI)-driven global economy.

In this case, it’s not just any AI, it’s generative AI. This powerful class of technology can create new content such as text, images, music, or even code based on patterns it has learnt from existing data. Tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and DALL·E don’t simply analyse, they simulate, compose, and converse. That opens vast possibilities for economies built on creativity, language, and expression.

The establishment of an AI hub provides an environment in which governments, researchers, entrepreneurs, and educators converge to build and apply cutting-edge technologies. This isn’t new globally, but it’s groundbreaking for our region. These hubs serve as digital ecosystems, nurturing innovation, enabling training, and anchoring new industries. The Africa-Caribbean Hub could do the same, if we move with urgency and unity.

The Opportunity: Resources, Talent, and Timing

Yes, we are rich in natural resources, including cobalt, lithium, bauxite, and rare earth elements, which are essential for building the physical backbone of AI. These minerals power the batteries in electric vehicles, fuel the massive energy demands of data centres, and are embedded in the semiconductors that enable machine learning at scale. In short, the raw materials for tomorrow’s AI infrastructure are being mined today from African soil and Caribbean terrain, from the Democratic Republic of Congo’s cobalt fields to Jamaica’s long-established bauxite reserves.

This gives our regions not only economic worth, but strategic leverage in a world increasingly defined by technological supremacy. Countries that control the inputs to AI’s physical infrastructure are no longer on the margins, they are at the centre of the next industrial revolution. If managed sustainably and equitably, these resources could shift the economic narrative of our regions from extraction to empowerment.

Resources alone are not enough. We also have the raw human potential. The Caribbean boasts one of the most educated populations in the Global South and strong tertiary education systems, particularly in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics), business, and the humanities. Africa’s population is the youngest in the world, with over 60 per cent under the age of 25, a demographic dividend with unmatched innovation potential if supported by the right digital infrastructure and training.

Add to that our deep cultural capital, our languages, music, stories, and traditions, which can power uniquely localised AI models for education, health care, tourism, and entertainment. Imagine generative AI tools that speak creole, translate proverbs, or preserve endangered dialects. This is not only about catching up to global trends; it’s about shaping them on our own terms.

Finally, the timing could not be better. As the world re-evaluates global supply chains, digital sovereignty, and ethical AI, there is a window for the Africa-Caribbean region to position itself as a thought leader, not just a participant. We must remember windows don’t stay open forever. The opportunity is here, but only action will keep it from slipping away.

The Challenges: Infrastructure, Skills, and Policy Gaps

Let’s be clear: Opportunity alone doesn’t guarantee prosperity. While the Africa-Caribbean AI partnership signals hope, the reality is that both regions face deep structural constraints that must be addressed head-on.

1) Infrastructure deficits: Reliable digital infrastructure is the foundation of any AI economy, but across many Caribbean nations and African states, broadband remains patchy, Internet speeds are inconsistent, and cloud computing costs are prohibitively high. In rural areas, connectivity is unreliable or non-existent, effectively excluding entire populations from digital participation. Meanwhile, our dependence on foreign-owned data centres raises questions of data sovereignty and control, especially in sectors handling sensitive information like health care, finance, or government services.

2) Underdeveloped skills ecosystem: Despite a youthful and eager population, our education systems are not keeping pace with technological shifts. Few secondary or tertiary institutions in the Caribbean offer structured pathways in AI, machine learning, or data science. Where programmes do exist, they are often under-resourced, with limited faculty expertise or outdated curricula. The result is a widening gap between global AI workforce demands and local talent supply, further complicated by brain drain, whereby our most capable tech professionals are recruited abroad. Without intentional investment in skills development, reskilling, and lifelong learning, we risk watching the AI revolution from the sidelines.

3) Policy and regulatory blind spots: Governance remains one of the most urgent blind spots in our AI readiness. Many countries in the region lack comprehensive policies on AI, data privacy, algorithmic transparency, or intellectual property rights for AI-generated content. In the absence of these frameworks, the region is vulnerable to becoming a testing ground for imported AI systems, some of which may embed racial, cultural, or economic biases. There is also the looming risk of digital colonialism, whereby global tech giants extract value from our data without contributing to local capacity or revenue generation.

4) Public trust and inclusion: Across both regions, digital scepticism runs deep, and not without reason. Past experiences with data breaches, surveillance concerns, and exclusionary systems have created a climate of mistrust. If AI is perceived as a foreign, elite-driven, or exploitative tool, it may face public resistance. Building confidence in AI means ensuring transparency, fairness, and genuine community engagement. It also means tackling digital divides, making sure that women, rural populations, and people with disabilities are not locked out of the AI economy.

But these challenges are not unique or insurmountable. Countries like Rwanda, Estonia, and India have turned similar constraints into stepping stones through bold policymaking, inclusive digital strategies, and creative partnerships. The key is to move with urgency and purpose, anchoring AI development in our values, priorities, and people.

Global Lessons: What the World Teaches Us

Canada’s Montreal is now a global hub for AI research, home to Mila (the Quebec AI institute) and built on sustained investment in academia. Its success shows the power of open, ethical research ecosystems.

The United Arab Emirates appointed the world’s first minister of artificial intelligence and used a national AI strategy to scale public services and attract global capital. Its top-down model demonstrates how political will and clear strategy can turn vision into action.

Rwanda is quietly becoming Africa’s digital policy leader. Its Smart Rwanda initiative leverages AI in agriculture and health care, and its inclusive digital policies ensure rural and low-income populations are not left behind.

Singapore’s approach — blending innovation grants, AI training programmes, and public-private partnerships — shows that investing in people is as critical as investing in infrastructure.

These examples share a common truth: AI hubs succeed not because they copy others, but because they tailor solutions to local realities while plugging into global networks.

Seeds of Innovation: AI in the Caribbean

While large-scale AI hubs are new to the Caribbean, seeds of innovation have already been planted across the region. The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) has begun using AI-powered crime-mapping tools and predictive analytics to support deployment strategies and improve public safety outcomes. AI has been leveraged in the financial services sector, with banks experimenting with machine learning for fraud detection and risk assessment. In Trinidad and Tobago, digital transformation agencies are piloting AI-driven chatbots and virtual assistants to improve access to public services. These are just some examples of efforts that demonstrate that the Caribbean is not starting from scratch. With coordinated investment, they could form the backbone of a region-wide AI ecosystem that reflects our priorities, languages, and creative energy.

Making It Real: Caribbean Actions That Matter

We can’t afford to see the Africa-Caribbean Hub for Generative Artificial Intelligence as symbolic. It must become operational, measurable, and inclusive. This means:

• Building talent pipelines from high school to university to workforce, including coding boot camps and AI literacy programmes for the general public.

• Incentivising start-ups and research, especially in climate tech, fintech, tourism, and cultural AI.

• Fostering trust through transparent data policies and public engagement.

• Aligning with Diaspora experts who can bring global exposure and investment to local problems.

Importantly, we must include voices historically left out of the digital economy: women, rural innovators, creatives, and people with disabilities.

From the Margins to the Table: Global Governance and Our Voice

For too long the Caribbean and Africa have been technology takers, not makers. As AI becomes central to global trade, finance, health care, and education, we must help shape its rules, not just follow them. This means engaging with international bodies like the UN, World Trade Organization, and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development on AI governance. It means promoting an Afro-Caribbean voice in conversations about data justice, algorithmic bias, and ethical AI. It means championing our own models of innovation that respect our history, environment, and values.

The AI revolution offers us a chance to not just catch up, but to lead where it matters most.

This Is Our Moment

The Africa-Caribbean Hub for Generative Artificial Intelligence is more than a collaboration, it’s a commitment. A commitment to future-proofing our economies, empowering our youth, and protecting our place in the world’s digital future.

Let us not treat it as a photo opportunity, but as a blueprint for shared progress. The train has arrived. Whether we board as passengers or conductors is up to us. The future isn’t waiting.

Let’s co-create this AI-powered future bravely, wisely, and together!

Dr Vanesa Tennant Williams is an information systems practitioner and researcher. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or vanesa.tennant@gmail.com.

Gladstone Hutchinson (left), professor of economics at Lafayette College in the United States and principal director for the Africa-Caribbean Hub for Generative Artificial Intelligence; Paulette Ramsay, professor of afro-Hispanic literatures and cultures research fellow at the PJ Patterson Institute; and former Prime Minister PJ Patterson, statesman in residence at the PJ Patterson Institute for Africa-Caribbean Advocacy, share a moment at the launch of the Africa-Caribbean Hub for Generative Artificial Intelligence on June 11. (Photo: Joseph Wellington)

The raw materials for tomorrow’s artificial intelligence infrastructure are being mined today from African soil and Caribbean terrain.

The Caribbean boasts one of the most educated populations in the Global South and a strong tertiary education system.

Vanesa Tennant Williams