Young People Urged to Embrace AI and its Benefits

Young persons in Jamaica are being encouraged to take advantage of artificial intelligence (AI) and not to be fearful about the new technology as the Government prepares for the development of a National AI Policy.

Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Information, Skills and Digital Transformation, Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, made the call while addressing a breakout session during the 10th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James on June 18.

The session focused on the topic ‘Skills training at the cornerstone of national development through HEART/NSTA Trust’.

Stating that AI “is going to change a lot of the ways that things are done”, Dr. Morris Dixon said it is important that persons embrace the technology and seek to exploit its benefits.

“AI is here and it is not going anywhere. It is getting smarter and smarter and we must figure out in Jamaica how we are going to take advantage of it. We must teach our young people how to interact with AI and that’s really [why] we have started ensuring that our young people understand how it is changing things and not to be afraid of the technology,” she emphasised.

The Minister noted that the Government has formed an AI task force that is focused on conducting research in the area and provide an evidence-based foundation for the development of a National AI Policy.

The task force is expected to identify opportunities for the adoption of AI technologies, potential areas of economic growth and development, as well as social impacts.

The Minister pointed out that AI is already being used to aid in farming activities such as harvesting and detecting diseases in crops.

“We are going to see where more and more businesses have to use technology, have to use AI to continue production, so I would say, do not be afraid of the technology. We are always going to need food, we are always going to need farmers,” Dr. Morris Dixon said.

“It may not be 100 people on the farm, it may be 10 on the farm plus a lot of technology, but it is still going to be an important area. That’s where HEART [NSTA Trust] is going in teaching the technology, so that our young farmers can understand that maybe ‘the techniques that my grandfather or my father used, I may not be able to use them, but I can still be a farmer and infuse technology in what I do’,” she said.

In her remarks, Managing Director of the HEART/NSTA Trust, Dr. Taneisha Ingleton, noted that young people are living in a time of rapid technological advancement and have more opportunities than previous generations.

She said that the entity is preparing trainees to take advantage of the opportunities, infusing technology in its training programmes to give them a competitive advantage.

She noted that the school’s certification continues to be in high demand in countries around the world, as students get First-World training.

The session formed part of activities on day two of the diaspora conference, which is being held from June 16 to June 19.