The Caribbean is seeking to develop a common approach to artificial intelligence, with regional governments, universities and policymakers arguing that cooperation, rather than competition among individual states, will determine whether the region helps shape the next wave of technological change or simply adopts systems developed elsewhere.

That effort gathered momentum this week with the launch of the Caribbean Artificial Intelligence Task Force (CAITF) report at the inaugural Caribbean Artificial Intelligence Forum in Trinidad and Tobago. The report outlines recommendations aimed at developing a common regional framework for AI governance, investment and adoption.

Held under the theme "AI for Caribbean Transformation: Governance, Innovation and Resilience for a Shared Digital Future," the two-day forum brought together ministers, policymakers, academics, development agencies, youth representatives, private sector stakeholders and international partners to discuss the opportunities and challenges presented by artificial intelligence.

Among those in attendance were Guillaume Pierre, Ambassador of the French Republic to Trinidad and Tobago, and Ren Hongyan, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Trinidad and Tobago, reflecting growing international interest in the Caribbean's approach to AI governance and digital transformation.

Opening the forum, Jaya Ramoutar, Executive Portfolio Manager in the Project Management Office of Trinidad and Tobago's Ministry of Public Administration and Artificial Intelligence, said the region's tradition of cooperation should guide its approach to emerging technologies.

"The Caribbean has never succeeded by acting alone. Our greatest advances have always been achieved through regional cooperation. Across generations, Caribbean nations have advanced through collaboration, shared institutions, common advocacy, and a deep understanding that small states can exercise meaningful influence when we coordinate our efforts."

The initiative reflects a growing recognition that artificial intelligence is no longer simply a technology issue. For small states, it has become a question of economic competitiveness, public sector modernisation, digital sovereignty and long-term resilience.

The issues carry particular significance for jurisdictions such as the Cayman Islands, where financial services, digital infrastructure and international connectivity underpin the economy.

The CAITF report argues that Caribbean countries face a strategic choice. Without greater regional coordination, the region risks becoming increasingly dependent on foreign AI platforms, cloud infrastructure and governance standards. Working together, however, could allow Caribbean states to develop common policies, share expertise and strengthen their collective influence in international discussions on AI governance.

"Our markets may be small individually, but together we have the scale to develop harmonised AI policies, strengthen regional innovation, protect our data sovereignty and build an AI ecosystem that reflects Caribbean priorities," said Dr Craig Ramlal, Chair of the Caribbean AI Task Force and Executive Director of the Artificial Intelligence Innovation Centre at The University of the West Indies, St Augustine.

The report identifies seven strategic priorities: digital infrastructure and data, AI governance and ethics, economic transformation, education and workforce development, public sector adoption, climate resilience, and regional cooperation.

Rather than proposing that Caribbean countries compete in developing the world's largest AI models, the report focuses on practical applications that address regional priorities. These include improving government services through automation, strengthening disaster preparedness, supporting agriculture, expanding digital skills and encouraging innovation across the private sector.

Among the sectors likely to see the earliest impact is financial services, where AI is already being deployed globally to strengthen compliance, detect fraud, improve risk analysis and automate routine administrative functions. Those same technologies could help Caribbean financial centres improve efficiency while responding to increasingly complex international regulatory requirements.

The report also places considerable emphasis on data governance. As governments and businesses rely more heavily on AI systems operated by global technology companies, questions over where data is stored, who controls it and how it is used become increasingly important. The Task Force argues that Caribbean countries should develop common governance frameworks that protect citizens while supporting innovation.

"AI must be harnessed to reduce our vulnerabilities and amplify our strengths. That requires a forum that sets the pace and the structure for action: standards that fit our scale, governance that protects our citizens, capacity development pathways that keep talent in the region, and financing models that help make pilot projects sustainable and scalable," said Nigel Cassimire, Deputy Secretary-General of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union.

The emphasis on regional cooperation reflects economic reality. Individually, Caribbean countries have relatively small populations, limited specialist workforces and constrained public resources. Collectively, however, they represent a larger market with shared policy challenges and similar regulatory objectives.

That logic extends beyond governance. A harmonised approach could reduce duplication, encourage interoperability and improve the region's ability to negotiate with international technology providers and participate more effectively in the development of global AI standards.

Graeme Thomson, founding member of World Digital Governance, said regional cooperation would be essential if Caribbean states were to strengthen their digital capabilities while maintaining control over their strategic interests.

"Sovereignty and cooperation are not opposites," Mr Thomson said. "This is not surrendering sovereignty. It is exercising sovereignty intelligently."

The report is strongest in diagnosing the challenges facing the region. It presents AI as a strategic issue rather than simply another digital technology and makes a persuasive case that Caribbean countries will have greater influence if they coordinate their approaches.

Less developed are the practical questions of implementation.

While the report recommends harmonised policies, investment in infrastructure, workforce development and stronger regional institutions, it provides limited detail on funding, governance arrangements or measurable targets. Converting strategy into implementation will require sustained political commitment, financing and collaboration between governments, universities and the private sector.

Business participation will be particularly important. While governments can establish policy frameworks and universities can develop talent, long-term economic impact will depend on companies adopting AI to improve productivity, develop new services and create commercial opportunities.

Potential areas for growth include financial technology, regulatory technology, digital government, cybersecurity and specialist professional services - sectors in which several Caribbean jurisdictions already have recognised expertise.

The Caribbean is unlikely to compete directly with the world's largest technology companies in developing frontier AI systems. Its comparative advantage is more likely to lie in applying artificial intelligence to challenges that are especially relevant to small island developing states, including disaster risk management, climate resilience, digital public services and internationally connected financial centres.

Regional strategies have often struggled to move from policy recommendations to implementation. The success of the Caribbean's AI agenda will therefore be measured less by this week's announcements than by what follows: common standards, shared investment, practical applications and demonstrable economic outcomes.

For the Cayman Islands and its regional neighbours, the challenge now moves from strategy to execution. The success of the Caribbean's AI ambitions will depend not on whether the region can articulate a shared vision, but on whether it can build the infrastructure, skills and institutions needed to turn that vision into lasting economic value.