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Welcome to the SALISES GenAI4D Observatory - Jamaica’s Global Leadership Hub for Inclusive AI.
Hosted by the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies (SALISES) Derek Gordon Databank, at The University of the West Indies, Mona, the Observatory provides a regional evidence base to monitor, evaluate, and forecast the impact of Generative AI (GenAI) across the Caribbean. It fills a critical gap in data-driven, ethical, and inclusive AI adoption by:
- Establishing regional baselines and readiness indices
- Institutionalizing monitoring, evaluation, and learning
- Embedding ethical safeguards and accountability frameworks
- Supporting inclusive, climate-smart, and human-centred AI development
Vision:
A Caribbean where Generative AI serves all - responsibly, inclusively, and empirically.
Mission:
To enable inclusive, ethical, and evidence-driven GenAI adoption through research, readiness assessment, risk management, and transparent reporting.
Jamaica’s GenAI Readiness Index
The GenAI4D Readiness Index provides a composite snapshot of Jamaica’s preparedness to harness AI for sustainable and equitable development.
Key Domains:
- Governance & Regulation: Data protection, intellectual property, policy coherence.
- Digital Infrastructure: Broadband, compute power, cloud services, open data.
- Skills & Inclusion: AI literacy, STEM education, women and youth participation.
- Ethics & Safety : Algorithmic fairness, transparency, and safeguards.
- Affordability & Accessibility : Cost of access and language inclusivity.
Indicators are benchmarked against the ITU and Oxford Insights datasets and aligned with UNESCO AI Ethics and the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS 2024–2034).
Projects & Pilots Registry
The Registry maps all AI-related projects and pilots implemented in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean SIDS, promoting transparency and knowledge sharing.
Each project profile includes:
- Title and implementing partners
- Target sector (education, tourism, health, MSMEs, public sector, etc.)
- Funding source and duration
- Inclusion and equity metrics (gender, disability, youth participation)
- SDG alignment and outcome indicators
The Registry supports evidence-based investment decisions, allowing funders and ministries to identify high-impact, ethical, and scalable initiatives.
Ethics, Risk & Accountability Hub
The Ethics and Accountability Hub ensures that Jamaica’s AI transformation remains transparent, fair, and aligned with human rights principles.
Core Features:
- AI Ethics Toolkit: Practical guides for implementing UNESCO-aligned safeguards.
- Algorithmic Impact Assessments (AIAs): Publicly accessible summaries of risk reviews.
- National Risk Register: Tracks AI-related biases, privacy issues, and mitigation actions.
- Red-Team Assessments: Annual independent evaluations of national AI systems.
- Public Accountability Dashboard: Open visibility into government and private-sector AI deployments.
Goal: Safeguard citizens’ rights while maintaining trust in the nation’s AI ecosystem.
Capacity Building & Adoption Lab
The GenAI4D Capacity and Adoption Lab builds human and institutional capacity to manage and apply AI responsibly across Jamaica.
Programmes include:
- AI Literacy & Prompt Engineering Training for educators, MSMEs, and youth.
- Train-the-Trainer (ToT) Model embedded in UWI and HEART/NSTA Trust programmes.
- Toolkits: Five sectoral toolkits for ethics, MEL, and low-bandwidth AI applications.
- 30 Safe-to-Fail Pilots: Projects testing AI assistants for health workers, climate adaptation, disaster analytics, and creative industries.
- Local-Language Models: Development of datasets for Caribbean Creoles and indigenous languages.
Target: Train 500 practitioners (≥50% women/youth) and establish three communities of practice by 2027.
Country Diagnostics & Policy Support
This component deepens Jamaica’s AI governance architecture through evidence-based policy support.
Deliverables:
- 10 Country Diagnostics analysing: Data protection, IP, language resources, compute access, and inclusion barriers.
- Action Plans: 18–24-month national reform agendas.
- Learning from ICT4D: Evidence reports identifying what worked, what didn’t, and why.
- Standards Alignment: Implementation guides for UNESCO AI Ethics and procurement guardrails.
Outcome: Readiness-driven policies that promote inclusion, competitiveness, and transparency.
Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Dashboard
The MEL system institutionalizes continuous evaluation and accountability across all Observatory activities.
Features:
- SMART indicators for all projects
- Real-time progress tracking (readiness, equity, inclusion)
- Mid-term and end-line reports
- Annual “State of GenAI4D in Jamaica” publication
- Forecasting models to anticipate social, economic, and environmental impacts
Result: Transparent reporting that drives adaptive learning and donor confidence.
Inclusion, Equity & Climate-Smart Design
The Observatory prioritizes AI for everyone - especially vulnerable and under-represented groups.
Commitments:
- Gender-disaggregated data for all indicators
- Accessible content (WCAG-compliant)
- Scholarships for women, youth, and persons with disabilities
- Low-compute, energy-efficient, and green AI designs
- Indigenous data inclusion and community-driven innovation
Principle: “No one left behind in the age of AI.”
Publications & Open Data
A comprehensive library of open-access resources:
- Annual State of GenAI4D in SIDS Reports
- Policy briefs and donor investment notes
- Toolkits, sectoral reports, and evaluation studies
- Open datasets and API for developers and researchers
Goal: Empower policymakers, innovators, and citizens to build an ethical AI ecosystem through shared evidence.
Partnerships & Global Networks
Strategic Partners: UNESCO, IDB, UNDP, ITU, CARICOM, OECS, World Bank.
Regional Scale-Up:
Year 1–2: Caribbean SIDS
Year 3: Expansion to Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and Pacific (AIMS) SIDS
Functions:
- MOUs with governments, private sector, and academia
- Regional convenings and donor roundtables
- Shared learning and replication of successful pilots
Communications & Newsroom
Stay updated with:
- Press releases, media statements, and policy briefings
- Podcasts and community radio features
- AI4D blog with field stories from practitioners
- Social media integrations (LinkedIn, X, YouTube)
- Event calendar for webinars and capacity workshops
Purpose: Foster awareness, trust, and citizen participation in AI governance.
Contact & Feedback
Contact the SALISES GenAI4D Team
Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies (SALISES)
The University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica
Email: salises@uwimona.edu.jm
Feedback Form: Submit data requests, propose partnerships, or share project information.