Harnessing Artificial Intelligence For Educational Reform And Workforce Development: The Case Of The Cayman Islands

In Task-Based Model terms, small states such as Malta and some Caribbean SIDS are deliberately preparing for a displacement of some jobs due to AI, while positioning their workforce to exploit the productivity benefits and reinstatement opportunities that come with innovation. There is a clear consensus that AI should augment human workers, not replace them, a principle that guides SIDS strategies to focus on human-centric development.

By reframing these national strategies through Acemoglu and Restrepo's (Citation2019 ) lens, we see how SIDS are balancing all three effects, displacement, productivity and reinstatement, to ensure AI fosters inclusive growth. In the Caribbean region, collaborative efforts are underway.

The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has announced it will launch an AI-powered digital literacy and numeracy platform to help improve foundational skills across member countries. This regional initiative was driven by concerning data, which conveyed that only 36 percent of students achieved a passing grade in Mathematics on the 2024 CXC exams, highlighting a critical gap in numeracy that AI tools might help address. CXC's digital transformation is aimed at giving Caribbean students a competitive advantage by using AI to complement traditional teaching. This indicates that even regional bodies serving small states see AI as essential to boosting educational outcomes.

However, voices in these discussions also stress equity considerations; at the Cayman symposium, experts called for urgent investment in reliable internet access, affordable devices and teacher training to ensure AI integration does not exacerbate existing inequalities (Varsik & Vosberg, Citation2024 ) between well-resourced and under-resourced communities.

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These comparative insights all point to a common theme: small states will gain significantly from AI in education by planning strategically. Some Caribbean nations have begun by focusing on foundational steps such as improving connectivity, introducing coding and robotics in curricula as a precursor to AI, and training teachers in digital skills. For instance, Grenada and Saint Lucia have worked with the Commonwealth Secretariat and UNESCO on digital education pilot programmes, and St Kitts and Nevis offered to pilot a UNESCO-led digital education platform for the region. These efforts indicate that, although full AI integration is not yet widespread in the Caribbean, groundwork is being laid through policy dialogues and incremental tech integration.

The Cayman Islands may draw lessons from these examples and other small island territories. Unlike Malta or Singapore, the Cayman Islands has not yet announced a comprehensive national AI-in-education policy, although in January 2025, the government introduced its first government-led national steering committee co-chaired by the author of this paper, Deasey-Weinstein, and policy is forthcoming in the second quarter of 2025.

Catalysing Caribbean digital transformation

Successfully integrating AI into Caribbean education requires a multifaceted approach that bridges global insights, regional frameworks and local market conditions. At the heart of this approach is strong regional collaboration, particularly through established bodies such as the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). CARICOM provides both economies of scale and opportunities for shared learning across member states, positioning the region to collectively navigate the challenges and opportunities of AI integration.

This regional cooperation must be complemented by the thoughtful adaptation of the best global practices, ensuring that international models are carefully contextualised to fit the Caribbean's unique educational, social and economic realities. While the Cayman Islands is not a full CARICOM member, its status as an associate member allows for participation in discussions and activities, although without voting rights, ensuring a degree of regional engagement.

Recognising both the promise and the challenges of AI, CARICOM is working towards a regional framework for digital technology and AI adoption (CARICOM, Citationn.d. ).

Its strategic focus on digital skills development and workforce modernisation reflects a shared commitment to leveraging AI in ways that align with Caribbean cultural values and support sustainable development goals. Importantly, CARICOM's policy development approach emphasises regional cooperation while advocating for the local adaptation of best practices (Barnes et al., Citation2024 ), creating a solid foundation for contextually relevant AI integration strategies across member states. Ultimately, successful AI integration in Caribbean education demands a careful balance between technological advancement and cultural preservation assuring that innovation respects the region's distinct historical, social and educational contexts.

Socio-economic and cultural consequences of delayed AI adoption

Without AI-based educational reform, the Cayman Islands risk exacerbating skill gaps and inefficiencies, undermining its competitiveness (OECD, Citation2024 ; Oxford Insights, Citation2022 ). The OECD (Citation2024 ) report, The Potential Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Equity and Inclusion in Education, underscores the importance of AI integration in educational systems for workforce development and economic growth. Likewise, the UK (Department for Education's, Citation2023 ) report, Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Education, highlights that without AI-driven educational reforms, significant skill shortages will persist, especially in ICT and renewable energy. These shortages impede local innovation and economic progress, underscoring the need for proactive AI adoption in education to foster workforce readiness and resilience.

The Disconnected report (Engenuity, Learning and Work Institute, and WorldSkills UK, Citation2023 ) provides additional insights, revealing that failure to incorporate AI and digital skills into education significantly impacts workforce preparedness and economic resilience. This report indicates pervasive digital skills gaps, with one in four employers reporting a lack of basic digital competencies and 37 percent identifying deficiencies in advanced digital skills among their workforce (p. 8). Such gaps contribute to higher operational costs and decreased productivity, with 76 percent of businesses noting that insufficient digital skills adversely impact profitability (p. 17).

In alignment with these global insights, delayed AI integration in the Cayman Islands will exacerbate workforce dependencies and vulnerabilities, particularly in sectors with substantial reliance on expatriate labour, such as ICT, hospitality and construction. Three primary domains of concern, economic vulnerability, widening skill gaps and cultural resistance to technology adoption, highlight the profound implications of deferring AI adoption.

• Genève Phillip-Durham is with Humanities and Social Sciences, University College of the Cayman Islands, George Town, Cayman Islands and Tamsin Deasey Weinstein is with the Corporate Management Team, University College of the Cayman Islands, George Town, Cayman Islands.

[This is an excerpt from an article in The Round Table: The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs and Policy Studies.]

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