Jamaica is set to open its first Artificial Intelligence (AI) Lab at the University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech Ja) in St. Andrew by September 1, marking a major step in the country’s digital transformation efforts.
The initiative is a collaboration between UTech Ja and the Amber Group, with plans to onboard 100 data analysis engineers to establish the lab and develop agentic AI—a form of artificial intelligence capable of making autonomous decisions and acting without human oversight.
Speaking at the National AI Lab Signing Ceremony held on Friday (June 6) at the AC Hotel by Marriott in Kingston, Senator the Hon. Ambassador Audrey Marks, Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, highlighted the importance of AI in Jamaica’s development.
“AI is a powerful driver of economic transformation, job creation, innovation and global competitiveness,” she said. “With the global AI market expected to reach nearly $3.6 trillion by 2034, Jamaica must position itself as a serious contender. We have the talent, infrastructure and entrepreneurial spirit.”
Ambassador Marks also commended the Amber Group for its role in advancing national development. “The investments in AI, the Internet of Learning and digital transformation continue to set the bar for innovation in Jamaica,” she said. “With these collaborations, Jamaica is preparing our people for AI opportunities, which have the potential of transforming lives and bringing financial freedom and independence to many.”
Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, emphasized the transformative potential of AI in education.
“The AI lab and the Jamaica Learning Assistant are not gimmicks or gadgets. They are foundational pillars of a new era in education,” she said. “This is an era in which access to high quality learning is not determined by income level or proximity to a brand name school or innate ability to learn.”
Dr. Morris Dixon added that teachers are being trained in AI literacy and digital teaching methods to support students in navigating the new educational landscape. “We’ve chosen this future because Jamaica’s young people deserve not just to be consumers of global technology, but to be the creators of it,” she said.
Dr. Taneisha Ingleton, Managing Director of HEART/NSTA Trust, described the lab as a strategic move to ensure Jamaica’s prominence in the global digital arena. She noted that the facility will function as a national resource hub for training, research, and curriculum development in AI.
“We are establishing faculty exchanges and laboratory sharing between HEART and UTech, fostering a seamless learning community,” she said. “Staff from both institutions will benefit from advanced laboratories and collaborative research, constructing a pipeline of talent steeped in AI and data science.”
UTech Ja President, Dr. Kevin Brown, said the university is well-equipped to host the new lab, citing its academic infrastructure and research capabilities.
“Our university offers the ideal environment to support this AI lab,” he said. “We are committed to fully integrating the lab in our teaching and research programmes, ensuring our students and faculty remain at the forefront of AI innovation.”
Dr. Brown added that the lab would serve as a hub for developers, researchers, entrepreneurs and students to collaborate on real-world challenges through advanced technology.
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