Harnessing AI to Drive Business, Education and Economic Growth

Eighteen-year-old, Meron McPherson, a visionary tech entrepreneur, is leveraging the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to bridge gaps in the Jamaican real estate market, connecting homeowners with potential buyers through an innovative app she calls Home Finder AI.

Born out of her own family’s struggle to find a home when they migrated to Jamaica, the sixth-form student at Immaculate Conception High School in St. Andrew saw an opportunity to use her passion for AI to bridge an existing gap.

“I started opening up my perception and realised that it wasn’t only my family that was facing these issues,” Meron tells JIS News.

In developing the app, she sought help from her mentor from JamCoders, coupled with online research.

Home Finder AI takes the end users data, such as their location, amenities, and budget, then connects them with the most suitable homeowners, while curating property options that align with their desires.

The app offers a more streamlined and efficient way of connecting people to real estate opportunities.

Homeowners benefit from increased visibility for their listings, reaching a larger pool of qualified buyers without the hassle of traditional marketing methods.

“So, within the western region, so far, about five families were able to find homes,” Meron says, noting that she hopes to expand the reach of the app to cover the eastern part of the island.

AI for Educational Advancement

While Meron is using AI to revolutionise the real estate industry, its benefits to the educational sector cannot be ignored.

From personalised learning experiences to intelligent tutoring systems, AI has the power to reshape how students learn, educators teach, and institutions operate, enhancing accessibility, efficiency, and engagement in unprecedented ways.

Meron is encouraging all schools to integrate AI in their curriculum.

“Within the curriculum, generally with information technology and computer science, it can be expanded even more so that students are able to take on hands-on projects that combine the concepts they learn within schools with actual societal issues within Jamaica,” she contends.

Meron, who was developing her app while preparing for her Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE), is a testament to students’ ability to balance the rigours of traditional and AI-based learning.

“I take my extracurricular responsibilities such as creating the app as seriously as I take my schoolwork,” she tells JIS News.

By creating a schedule and making good use of free sessions at school, she was able to work on her mobile app, while managing her studies.

The Government has established an AI Task Force to aid in ensuring that AI is integrated in Jamaica’s national curriculum at all levels.

This is in keeping with the National Artificial Intelligence Policy Recommendations of 2024, which states that Jamaica’s education system must find ways to build competence in AI literacy for both teachers and students alike, without compromising the validity of student assessment.

Chairman of the Task Force, Christopher Reckord, notes that the concept of AI started in education.

“It started at Dartmouth University in the US in 1956… and so all the recommendations and concerns now is around ensuring that it goes back to academia, but it is used responsibly,” he says.

“We do want teacher training at all levels,” he says, noting that one of the recommendations by the task force is to establish specialised vocational and professional development training.

Mr. Reckford notes that AI is poised to revolutionise Jamaica’s education system.

“Our concept of education and school is about to change or is in the take-off lounge for changing,” he tells JIS News.

Embracing AI for Economic Growth

AI not only has the power to transform the educational landscape but also drive economic growth by fostering entrepreneurship and innovation to address challenges people face.

“Encouraging entrepreneurship in AI and supporting youth-led innovation can spur the creation of local AI start-ups and solutions that cater to Jamaican and regional needs, potentially creating new markets and employment opportunities,” Mr. Reckord points out.

He says that Jamaica has an opportunity to create innovative AI-based high-value products and services for both local and global markets.

The AI task force is exploring how to integrate AI into sectors such as agriculture, to further drive Jamaica’s economic development.

Inspired by the success for her Home Finder AI, Meron and her fellow schoolmates are using the technology to come up with solutions to address issues identified in the agricultural sector.

“We are basically using AI to make the farming sector in Jamaica more efficient. By tracking in real time, the nutrient levels, temperature, moisture, and humidity of the soil, farmers would be able to create greater quality crops,” she explains.

AI and the Future of Jamaica

Meron is imploring all Jamaicans not to be afraid to explore their “crazy ideas”, but instead, apply the use of AI to bring them to life and to serve as a solution to issues around them.

“I think a lot of people don’t truly appreciate or understand the power of AI, so I would say yes, exert caution when using AI because it can be harmful but look at the good side of it and see how it can be used to solve these inequalities and societal issues.

“Start by looking for the different issues within your community and see what are the technologies that are currently in place to solve these issues and see where you can help by bridging the gap,” she encourages.

AI is no longer a futuristic concept; it is here and can be leveraged to transform Jamaica for the better.

“This is the beginning; we are just scratching the surface and there is a lot more to come. This technology is here to stay, it is not going anywhere,” Mr. Reckord says.

He is encouraging all Jamaicans to research and utilise AI.

“Whether you want to do something from a development standpoint or you want to do something for you as a consumer in your job, AI is out there to help you make your job easier,” he points out.

“Jamaica is a cultural superpower, with.. .our very tiny population and small geographic footprint, we reach further and larger than most our size, so we can leverage some of that with our AI touch points,” he adds.