Record STMT-WCBFE29Advisory

Caribbean AI Taskforce Final Report on AI Harmonization

CARIBBEAN AI TASKFORCE FINAL REPORT ON AI HARMONIZATION

Report Institutional policyLatin America and the Caribbeanproposed

This final report of the Caribbean AI Task Force outlines a comprehensive strategy for harmonizing artificial intelligence policies across CARICOM member states. It analyzes the regional AI market, connectivity gaps, labour-market exposure, and research deficits, concluding with seven strategic pillars covering data infrastructure, governance, economic transformation, talent development, public sector AI, climate resilience, and regional leadership. The report emphasizes building shared regional capacity, leveraging the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI, and addressing the unique vulnerabilities of Small Island Developing States.

Summary and content fields are drawn from the document text and are pending editorial review.

Who issued it

Caribbean AI TaskforceMultistakeholder

Lead issuer

Legal forceAdvisory

Under whose authorityInstitutional policy

Judged fromfull text

Who it governs

National governmentRegulatorsPublic sector bodiesResearchers and academics

CARICOM policymakers, national governments, regulators, and regional institutions seeking a harmonized framework for artificial intelligence governance and development.

Sectors

Cross-sectorTelecommunications and digital services · AI and digital infrastructureResearch and science · AI research and commercialization

What the document contains

What's covered

The document covers a regional assessment of AI readiness, infrastructure deficits, economic risks, and talent gaps across Caribbean Small Island Developing States. It sets forth seven detailed policy recommendations and actionable implementation steps for CARICOM member states regarding data sharing, ethical frameworks, economic innovation, workforce transition, public sector pilots, climate resilience, and international diplomacy.

What's missing

It does not contain binding national legislation or legally enforceable regulatory penalties, as it serves as a strategic advisory report and policy roadmap for regional harmonization.

Key takeaways

CARICOM is currently the only comparable geopolitical bloc lacking a collective, harmonized AI governance instrument.
The Caribbean suffers from a stark investment-to-output mismatch, with high internet usage but almost no regional value capture or AI-native infrastructure.
The report proposes seven structured pillars addressing data infrastructure, ethical governance, economic sequencing, talent pipelines, public procurement, climate resilience, and global representation.
Regional AI governance should anchor directly in the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI to avoid duplicating existing international standards.
Governments should sequence economic policies by supporting MSME AI adoption before chasing frontier development, using public procurement as a proving ground.

Principles it states

Harmonization of data-protection and cross-border data-flow frameworksOpen-source and open-standard approaches prioritized over proprietary lock-inEthics anchored explicitly in the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AIStaged research-to-commercialization financing pathwaysShared regional oversight and interoperability

Outline

· Executive Summary and Regional Context
· Comparative Regional AI Analysis
· Pillar 1: Data, Digital Infrastructure & Compute
· Pillar 2: Governance, Ethics & Standards
· Pillar 3: Economic Transformation, Innovation & Industry
· Pillar 4: Talent & Skills
· Pillar 5: Public Sector AI
· Pillar 6: Natural Disaster & Climate Resilience
· Pillar 7: Regional Leadership, Trade & Global Interoperability

Issued2026

Length2,445 words · 23 pages

FormatNot recorded

Scoperegional

How it scores

Pending review

Each score is backed by a quote verified against the document text. Editorial review has not yet confirmed them.

Accountability

3/5

Clear responsibility for AI outcomes

Establish a harmonized Caribbean AI governance framework, anchored in existing international norms

Pillar 2: Governance, Ethics & Standards

screening score · 2026-10-23

Fairness

3/5

Non-discrimination and equitable treatment

assessed for disparate performance and impact across Caribbean languages, dialects, and demographic groups before public -sector deployment

Pillar 2: Governance, Ethics & Standards

screening score · 2026-10-23

Human Oversight

1/5

Humans remain in control of consequential decisions

reskilling toward higher-value analytical, quality-assurance, and AI-supervision roles

Pillar 4: Talent & Skills

screening score · 2026-10-23

Privacy

3/5

Protection of personal data and private life

Governments should prioritize harmonization of data-protection and cross-border data-flow frameworks across CARICOM

Pillar 1: Data, Digital Infrastructure & Compute

screening score · 2026-10-23

Transparency

3/5

Openness about how AI systems work and are used

establish minimum regional standards for algorithmic transparency, risk classification, and public -sector AI procurement

Pillar 2: Governance, Ethics & Standards

screening score · 2026-10-23

Enforcement

1/5

Consequences and compliance mechanisms with real force

Resolution COTED-ICT Recognised the work of the Caribbean AI Taskforce as important for the formulation of regionally harmonised AI policies for CARICOM member states

Timeline

screening score · 2026-10-23

Impact Assessment

4/5

Required assessment of an AI system's risks/impacts before or during use

The regional governance framework should require AI systems deployed in or serving the Caribbean to be assessed for disparate performance and impact across Caribbean languages

Pillar 2: Governance, Ethics & Standards

screening score · 2026-10-23

Topics

Physical AI Governancecore

ai_governance policy_harmonization caricom digital_infrastructure climate_resilience