AI and the Future of Government Relations in Jamaica

SOUTH FLORIDA – Artificial intelligence (AI)  will change government relations in Jamaica and it will change the way Jamaicans at home and in the diaspora seek to engage with and influence government and the response of government to them. The current and impending transformation comes with risks and opportunities.

These changes are already taking shape as AI transforms how governments, businesses, civil society organizations and citizens access information, analyze public policy, engage stakeholders and communicate with one another. While these capabilities offer opportunities to strengthen government relations in Jamaica, they also raise questions about transparency, accountability, equitable participation and the integrity of policymaking.

As Jamaica advances its national AI agenda, the implications extend beyond the adoption of technology in government operations. AI is also changing how individuals and organizations seeking to influence government decisions research policy issues, develop arguments, communicate their positions and engage decision-makers.

The perspectives of Professor Lloyd G. Waller, Director of the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies at The University of the West Indies, Mona; Cordel Green, Executive Director of the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica; and Christopher Reckord, Chairman of Jamaica’s National AI Task Force and Deputy Chairman of the CTU Caribbean AI Task Force, offer insights into the opportunities, challenges and governance considerations associated with these developments. Perspectives were also sought from government relations practitioners in Jamaica, but they were unavailable for interviews.

Transforming Government Relations and Advocacy

AI is providing government relations practitioners with new capabilities for monitoring legislation, analyzing policy proposals, identifying emerging issues, researching stakeholders and preparing evidence-based submissions.

Waller highlighted the potential for AI to support continuous policy monitoring, strengthen evidence-based advocacy and analyze large volumes of information generated through public consultations. These capabilities could help organizations identify policy developments earlier and engage government more effectively.

Reckord described AI as a multiplier of human capabilities, particularly where institutions face staffing and resource constraints. Its capacity to accelerate research, analysis and information processing could improve government service delivery and support more informed policymaking.

For advocacy organizations, these capabilities offer opportunities to reduce the time and resources required to participate in policy discussions.

However, technology cannot replace professional judgment, relationships or an understanding of political and institutional circumstances. As Colin Hensel observed in his analysis of AI in public affairs, trust and human relationships remain central to effective government relations.

Will AI Democratize Influence?

One of AI’s most significant opportunities is its potential to make sophisticated research and advocacy tools accessible to organizations that previously lacked the resources to compete with larger institutions.

Chris Moffatt Armes of PoliTraQ has highlighted how AI-enabled legislative monitoring, stakeholder management and reporting could expand the capacity of smaller organizations to participate in public affairs.

Yet improved access to technology does not automatically produce equality of influence.

Jamaica’s AI readiness assessment identifies differences in internet access between urban and rural populations. Organizations with limited connectivity, financial resources or digital expertise may struggle to take advantage of emerging technologies.

AI could therefore reduce some barriers to participation while creating new forms of information asymmetry. Larger, better-resourced organizations may gain additional advantages through sophisticated analytical tools, specialized expertise and access to proprietary information.

Waller emphasized the importance of distinguishing between the ability to generate contributions and the ability to have those contributions meaningfully considered. A greater volume of AI-assisted submissions does not necessarily represent broader public participation or consensus.

AI systems used to analyze consultations must also preserve minority perspectives rather than allowing the most frequently expressed or technologically amplified positions to dominate.

Green similarly emphasized digital literacy and the importance of developing the capacity to question, evaluate and responsibly use AI-generated information.

For Jamaica, the challenge is ensuring that AI strengthens participation rather than widening existing disparities in access to government and influence over public decisions.

Integrity, Transparency and Artificial Influence

AI also introduces risks that could undermine the integrity of advocacy and policymaking.

Automated submissions, fabricated information, deepfakes and coordinated digital campaigns could distort public consultations or create misleading impressions of public support for particular policy positions.

The OECD’s Anti-Corruption and Integrity Outlook 2024 highlights the importance of transparency and integrity in lobbying and identifies emerging opportunities and risks associated with technological developments.

These concerns are particularly relevant where governments must distinguish genuine stakeholder engagement from artificially amplified influence.

Reckord cautioned against relying on AI-generated information without verification. Inaccurate information presented with apparent confidence could undermine research, advocacy and decision-making.

Waller also raised concerns about AI systems becoming gatekeepers in public consultation processes. If governments increasingly rely on automated tools to summarize or categorize submissions, the design of those systems could influence which concerns receive attention.

Consequently, responsible AI use requires human oversight, transparency, verification and mechanisms for accountability.

Jamaican AI, Sovereignty and Accountability

Another important consideration is Jamaica’s dependence on AI technologies developed outside the country.

Green emphasized the risks associated with relying on systems that may not adequately reflect Jamaican language, culture, institutional arrangements and social realities. He stressed the importance of strengthening local AI capabilities and ensuring that foreign-developed technologies do not determine how Jamaican interests and priorities are understood.

Jamaicans in the diaspora may also use foreign-developed AI to influence government policy at home. While this could strengthen diaspora participation, it raises concerns about whether the information, assumptions and biases embedded in these technologies adequately reflect Jamaican realities.

These issues extend beyond technological sovereignty to the quality of evidence and arguments presented to policymakers.

Jamaica’s National AI Task Force has identified technological dependence, data governance, ethical considerations and public-private collaboration among the issues requiring attention.

Green also challenged the suggestion that Jamaica lacks established mechanisms for public participation and influence. He pointed to existing consultation, procurement, access-to-information and accountability arrangements, emphasizing the importance of strengthening transparency and institutional practices rather than assuming that formal professionalization of government relations is necessarily the solution.

Nevertheless, the growing use of AI raises questions about whether existing arrangements are sufficient to address emerging methods of influencing public policy.

Preparing for AI-Enabled Government Relations

Jamaica’s AI readiness assessment recommends stronger governance arrangements, including appropriate legislation, institutional oversight, transparency, accountability and mechanisms for addressing harm.

The National AI Task Force’s recommendations also recognize the need to strengthen the country’s capacity to adopt AI responsibly while addressing ethical, institutional and technological challenges.

Government relations practitioners will need more than technical proficiency. They must develop the ability to assess AI-generated information critically, identify bias, protect confidential information and distinguish authentic stakeholder participation from artificially generated influence.

Public institutions will likewise need safeguards to ensure that AI-assisted consultation and policymaking remain transparent, inclusive and subject to human judgment.

The effectiveness of AI in government relations should not be measured simply by the volume of information generated, the number of submissions produced or the speed of advocacy activities. Greater importance should be placed on whether the technology contributes to informed decisions, meaningful participation and better policy outcomes.

Improving and expanding the government relations framework could improve the practice and reduce AI-related risks.

The future of government relations should not be determined by who possesses the most powerful technology, but by whether technology helps create a more transparent, inclusive and responsive relationship between government and the people it serves.

 

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