The CARICOM Secretariat is calling for stronger regional cooperation to ensure artificial intelligence (AI) strengthens rather than undermines democracy, warning that the rapid evolution of the technology is increasing the threat of disinformation across the Caribbean.
The appeal came from CARICOM Deputy Secretary-General Armstrong Alexis during a high-level roundtable at the Third Summit of Ministers and High Authorities on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in Latin America and the Caribbean, held in the Dominican Republic from June 25 to 26.
The discussions were held under the theme, The Impact of AI on Disinformation and the Exercise of Democratic Freedom, with Dr. Alexis examining the implications of AI-driven disinformation for small island states, particularly its impact on electoral integrity, public health messaging and public confidence in democratic institutions.
He told delegates that while artificial intelligence is transforming the global information landscape and creating new opportunities for innovation, it is also amplifying the scale, speed and sophistication of disinformation.
Framing his presentation within the context of CARICOM’s open, interconnected and democratic societies, Dr. Alexis said recent incidents across the Community demonstrate that the risks posed by AI-enabled misinformation are no longer hypothetical.
He said the region must respond collectively by strengthening democratic resilience through shared early-warning mechanisms, rapid information-sharing systems and closer collaboration among electoral management bodies, cybersecurity agencies and media regulators.
He also advocated stronger partnerships with independent fact-checking organisations and civil society groups to improve the region’s capacity to identify and counter false and misleading information.
“The most durable defence against disinformation is investment in people, media and information literacy, and support for independent journalism,” Dr. Alexis said.
He stressed that investment in digital literacy and AI readiness must remain a regional priority so that citizens—particularly young people—can participate safely, confidently and productively in an increasingly AI-enabled economy and digital information ecosystem.
While acknowledging AI’s potential to improve efficiency and support development, the Deputy Secretary-General cautioned that human judgement and informed decision-making must remain at the centre of the technology’s application.
Dr. Alexis also highlighted a number of initiatives already underway to strengthen the Caribbean’s digital resilience and promote the responsible use of artificial intelligence. These include the Strategic Framework for Regional Digital Resilience 2025–2030, the UNESCO Caribbean AI Policy Roadmap, the CARICOM-UNDP Regional Programme on AI 2026–2030, the Secretariat’s AI Action Plan, and partnerships through the Caribbean AI Task Force and AI for SIDS 2.0 with the United Nations Development Programme.
The CARICOM Secretariat said these initiatives are intended to help member states harness the benefits of artificial intelligence while safeguarding democratic governance, strengthening institutional resilience and protecting public trust in the digital age.
