In a landmark recognition of the Caribbean’s growing voice in global AI governance, Andrea A. Jacobs, Antigua and Barbuda’s National Focal Point for Artificial Intelligence, has been officially invited by the Government of India to join its high-level panel at the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2025 in Norway. The session will explore the role of inclusive AI governance in addressing pressing societal challenges and promoting equitable global development.
The panel will spotlight the transformative potential of AI to enhance public service delivery, drive climate resilience, and improve access to education, healthcare, and sustainable agriculture—especially for nations in the Global South. But it will also confront a difficult truth: as AI advances at breakneck speed, its benefits remain unequally distributed.
“Research, development, and AI infrastructure are still overwhelmingly concentrated in a handful of countries,” said Jacobs. “Meanwhile, regions like the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia continue to face barriers in accessing the tools, compute resources, and platforms that define AI progress.”
As the designated AI National Focal Point for Antigua and Barbuda, Jacobs has worked to amplify the region’s perspectives on digital inclusion, ethical AI governance, and equitable access to emerging technologies. Her invitation to IGF 2025 reflects both individual leadership and the Caribbean’s growing role in shaping global tech policy.
“The Global South accounts for nearly 85% of the world’s population, yet remains vastly underrepresented in how AI is built, governed, and applied,” Jacobs noted. “Without intentional inclusion, AI risks deepening global inequalities and encoding systemic biases into the technological infrastructure of the future.”
The IGF 2025 panel, convened under the auspices of the United Nations, will serve as a key precursor to the AI Impact Summit, to be hosted by India in 2026. The discussions aim to advance multilateral cooperation on AI, develop inclusive policy frameworks, and democratize access to foundational AI resources.
“AI should not be the privilege of the technologically rich. It must be a tool for inclusive progress,” Jacobs emphasized. “By bringing together voices from every region and income level, we have a chance to build systems that are not only powerful but just and representative.”
“To go from those early days to now being part of this global conversation is a powerful reminder of how far we’ve come,” Jacobs’ said. “But the real work is ahead: ensuring that the future of AI is built by everyone, for everyone. That starts with showing up—and speaking up.”
Antigua and Barbuda’s participation at IGF 2025 is a powerful signal that small nations have not only a voice but a vital role to play in shaping the global future of AI—one that is equitable, inclusive, and deeply human-centered.
