Why Jamaica urgently needs a minister of artificial intelligence

IN 2016, in a face-to-face talk, I had advised The University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona’s artificial intelligence lecturer to introduce artificial neural networks, also known as modern artificial intelligence (AI), as an independent course to the computer science degree. Artificial neural networks power many smart applications today, ranging from self-driving cars to automated disease diagnosers.

In 2016, I also began something called Machine Learning Jamaica Institute, which later, on June 2, 2018, had a free online curriculum, including a 2017 artificial intelligence book written by myself. The goal was to establish a physical building dedicated to artificial intelligence, to prepare the nation for growing automation.

Of note, this year Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates, announced it would start “the world’s first University of Artificial Intelligence”, capitalising on the fact that an increasing number of countries are becoming more and more serious about artificial intelligence education.

UWI MONA GETS DATA SCIENCE/MODERN AI COURSE

In September 2018, UWI, Mona, introduced COMP3162, a data science course, along with a master of science in data science. Data science involves taking machine learning models, including artificial neural networks, to extract insight from data or information. Many artificial intelligence start-ups have emerged with large usage of data science.

With the advent of this course, UWI, Mona, is further helping to continue to propel the nation into the 21st century. A number of students have, as expected, already gone through the course since its inception. More people interested in computer science should go and take the course now.

RESULTS FROM FAILURE TO FOCUS ON AI, BY THE NUMBERS

Notably, one forecast via BBC News and McKinsey Global Institute, places 800 million jobs to be lost to automation up until the year 2030. Another forecast by Bank of America has 800 million jobs to be lost up until year 2035. In the United States alone, four million jobs have already been automated away in recent years. In Canada, in November, 27,500 manufacturing jobs were lost.

Of note, automation has already destroyed 20 million jobs in a select number of regions, according to Econlib.

Sophia the Humanoid making her presentation called ‘My Life as a Robot Citizen’ at the MasterCard Latin America and the Caribbean Innovation Forum 2019 in Miami Beach, Florida, recently.