AI Issues to Be Discussed at Virtual Conference Sept. 28

Several critical questions surrounding the development, governance and responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) will take centre stage on September 28, when the seventh annual Artificial Intelligence for Information Accessibility (AI4IA) Conference is held virtually.

The free global conference is being staged in observance of the International Day for Universal Access to Information and coincides with the 25th anniversary of UNESCO’s Information for All Programme (IFAP), which was established to promote access to information and knowledge.

Executive Director of the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica, Cordel Green, said the conference is important as countries such as Jamaica seek to move beyond being consumers of technologies largely developed elsewhere.

“The conference is vital because Jamaica should not remain only a consumer of AI developed elsewhere. We must be part of the global conversation about how AI is designed, governed and used,” Mr. Green said in an interview with JIS News.

He noted that AI4IA provides Jamaica and other developing countries with an opportunity to contribute to the international dialogue, while gaining exposure to experiences and ideas that can inform national approaches to AI.

Mr. Green said AI is no longer solely a technology issue, but increasingly affects everyday life, including how people work, learn, access services and determine whether information is trustworthy.

He urged Jamaicans to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to use AI confidently, critically and safely, noting that the conference is designed to help ordinary citizens understand their role in shaping the future of the technology.

He said the conference is free and open to everyone, including persons who are not technology experts, with discussions focused on practical issues such as education, healthcare, employment, rights, information and accountability.

Participants will also have access to the new AI4IA Intelligence Pilot Platform, which allows users to search and explore six years of conference insights in plain language and trace information to the speakers who provided it. Registration is available at www.ai4iaconference.com.

According to Mr. Green, Jamaica must build capacity at several levels, including public understanding, education and skills, institutional readiness, research and local innovation. At the same time, he said stronger protections are needed for privacy, intellectual property and against misinformation and other emerging risks.

“The aim is not to fear or resist AI but to develop the competence to use it responsibly and on terms that serve Jamaica’s interests,” he said.

He further emphasised the need for educational institutions to prepare students for a world in which AI will be increasingly prevalent.

This, he said, requires critical thinking to be embedded in curricula, enabling students to interrogate AI-generated information, verify facts, solve problems creatively and use the technology actively and responsibly.