The debate was moderated by Bartlett Morgan, who began by outlining key discussion points. These included UNESCO’s recommendations on AI ethics, the role of regulators, the importance of data privacy and the relevance of these issues to journalism and the region.
The first speaker described the challenges journalism faces in the digital age. The rise of AI and social media had, she said, contributed to a deluge of information, misinformation and disinformation. There is a risk of lurching into tabloid-style speed over accuracy. It was essential to maintain journalistic integrity despite shrinking resources and the ethical challenges posed by new technology in reporting.
It is important not to move too quickly into AI without mastering basic technological infrastructure
Another speaker argued for a ‘privacy-preserving AI’, with unified regional strategies and safeguards to prevent systemic harm. This requires collaboration and capacity building to protect the Caribbean’s data sovereignty from global tech giants. One panellist suggested that the region has yet to fully grasp the importance of technology and data-sharing. It is important not to move too quickly into AI without mastering basic technological infrastructure and understanding the value of data. There should be more debate around regional policies and the future of work in an AI world. Many roles, such as translation, are already being taken over by AI models.
Dr. Xianhong from UNESCO provided a global perspective, discussing UNESCO’s ethical framework for AI. She emphasised inclusivity, human dignity and the protection of rights in AI deployment. AI regulation is needed to protect copyright, data privacy and ensure transparency.
Other key points were:
- There is an urgent need for robust data protection frameworks to safeguard personal data from exploitation, particularly in the Caribbean, where AI development is progressing but the legal infrastructure is lagging. Data privacy is foundational to the ethical use of AI.
- AI models are often trained on dominant languages, excluding many of the world’s 7,000 languages. This reinforces linguistic inequality, as AI-generated outputs are limited by the languages available in the digital sphere.
- AI, especially generative models like ChatGPT, often lack ethical oversight. These models are trained on vast amounts of data, sometimes without proper screening, which can embed biases—racial, social, or otherwise—into the outputs. The misuse of AI can lead to harmful consequences, such as privacy violations, mass harassment and cyberbullying.
In the Caribbean, the regulatory approach to AI should involve collaboration among governments, businesses and external organisations to ensure laws reflect the region’s unique needs. While AI regulation must protect human rights and ensure ethical use, there is also a need for careful integration of AI into business processes without eliminating human oversight. Data-sharing is necessary for interoperability and businesses in the Caribbean can benefit from AI tools, but there must be human oversight to avoid errors and ethical lapses. The human element is essential to ensuring AI’s responsible use in both public and private sectors.
Journalists and media outlets can responsibly use AI to assist with content creation, but human involvement is crucial to maintaining quality and integrity. AI can help automate tasks, but the final output should involve human oversight to ensure that authenticity and ethical standards are met.
In conclusion, while AI presents opportunities, especially in business and media, there are significant ethical concerns over data protection, inclusivity and human oversight. Collaborative regional efforts are necessary to implement effective and context-specific AI regulations. The Caribbean’s path to AI adoption must balance regulation, ethics and practical implementation, with data protection as the foundation.
The initial draft of this report was created using generative AI.
