Jamaica is, by most official accounts, doing what modern nations are supposed to do. It is drafting policies, assembling task forces, and aligning itself with global frameworks to prepare for the rise of artificial intelligence. There are speeches, reports, and carefully worded statements that speak of governance, ethics, and opportunity. There is, in short, a sense of movement.
And yet, movement is not the same as arrival.
The government points to real progress. Foundational legislation, including the Data Protection Act and the Cybersecurity Act, has been enacted. A National AI Task Force has delivered policy recommendations. A national AI policy is now in development. The recently launched AI Readiness Assessment, conducted with international partners, evaluates the country’s preparedness across legal, technological, economic, and social dimensions.
On paper, it reads well. In some places, it reads impressively.
But step outside the policy documents and i…
