Cabinet Secretary Says Purpose of AI is to Empower Human Beings

Cabinet Secretary, Hon. Audrey V. Sewell, has emphasised that the purpose of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not to replace human beings, but to empower them.

In a message read by Acting Deputy Financial Secretary at the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. Deloree Staple-Chambers, at a church service to mark the start of Civil Service Week, held on November 16, at the Eastwood Park New Testament Church of God, in St. Andrew, Mrs. Sewell argued that AI allows reallocation of human resources, freeing public servants from repetitive tasks, so they can focus on high-value work that values creativity.

She stressed that managing this process of transformation must be done with compassion and foresight, and a drive for progress, “ensuring innovation proceeds fairly, equitably, and ethically.”

“A public sector beyond artificial intelligence signifies not just a small change, but a transformation that surpasses all sectors, unlocking unprecedented productivity and innovation across all industries,” Mrs. Sewell said.

She noted that AI is not new, and that many persons interact with it daily, adding that customer service chatbots to resolve queries, search engine suggestions, auto-correct, and predictive text “are all artificial intelligence quietly working behind the scenes.”

The Cabinet Secretary said despite many persons being familiar with these existing AI systems, “we must acknowledge that change can be unsettling.”

“Understandably, reports of job displacement due to the integration of AI cause fear and uncertainty among workers concerned about their future roles and relevance,” she noted.

The Cabinet Secretary said people can dedicate more time to innovation, but the shift requires new skills, and the workforce needs to be re-skilled and up-skilled to succeed in an environment driven by AI.

“Recognising this, the Government has introduced the Reskilling, Upskilling, and New-Skilling (RUN) project to prepare workers with the skills necessary to navigate and influence digital information and to maintain a globally competitive workforce. As AI systems become more seamlessly integrated into our lives, citizens can enjoy excellent service without feeling overwhelmed by complexity,” she said.

Mrs. Sewell argued that Jamaica must continue not only to be a user of AI technologies, but also to be a creator and an innovator, noting that the island has been making consistent progress in transforming Government operations, and has transitioned from a public sector dominated by paper files, and performance dashboards.

The event was held under the theme: ‘The Public Sector: Beyond Artificial Intelligence’.