Coat of Arms of JamaicaNational A.I. Policy ExplorerJamaica
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Pillar 04

A.I. Infrastructure and Technology

Policy objective

Expedite the creation of infrastructure to support A.I. adoption and expansion in Jamaica.

The policy issue

For A.I. to thrive, a robust digital infrastructure is essential. Jamaica must modernize its ICT infrastructure, including high-speed internet, data centres, and cloud computing services, to support A.I. development and deployment. On the other hand, not all of these infrastructural components are simultaneously required for every A.I. innovation. Jamaica needs to be strategic in its priorities for funding these infrastructural components, because the costs of energy and cloud usage can be crippling if not managed well. Additionally, access to high-quality data is a key component in building A.I. systems, and data management policies need to be established to address this.

Challenges

  • Insufficient digital infrastructure, particularly in rural areas.
  • Limited access to cloud computing resources and data storage facilities.
  • Absence of national data management frameworks to support A.I. development.
  • Cost of energy.
  • Negative environmental impacts.

Recommendations

Short Term1–3 yearsFoundations — guidelines, awareness, curriculum and coordination.
  1. 01

    Improve broadband coverage and speed across Jamaica, prioritizing underserved areas.

  2. 02

    Incentivize developer level access to cloud-based A.I.-based services.

Medium Term4–6 yearsBuild-out — funding, infrastructure, partnerships and pilots.
  1. 01

    Establish national A.I. data centres and cloud infrastructure with the support of international partners.

Long Term7–10 yearsInstitutionalisation — authorities, standards and global positioning.
  1. 01

    Develop a national data management policy that ensures secure and ethical data sharing while fostering A.I. research and innovation.