Cayman Islands AI Strategy Showcased at Major U.S. Political Science Conference

International scholars examine small island nation’s evidence-based approach to building national AI capacity

Dr. Robert W. Robertson and Tamsin Deasey-Weinstein presented research on national artificial intelligence strategy to more than 185 academics and practitioners at the Florida Political Science Association (FPSA) Annual Conference, held at Saint Leo University, Florida.

The conference drew participants from across Europe, the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, with representatives from leading institutions including the University of Florida, the University of Central Florida, the University of Miami, the University of Georgia, Azerbaijan University, HSE University (National Research University Higher School of Economics, Russia), Makerere University (Kampala, Uganda), Mathias Corvinus Collegium-Climate Policy Institute (Budapest, Hungary) the University of London and Oxford University.

Robertson and Deasey-Weinstein presented a paper titled Artificial Intelligence: Building a National Framework in the Cayman Islands, which made the case for an evidence-based approach to developing the digital skills required in the new world of work and the strategic importance of ensuring that there is AI capacity at the national level. As a first step, Robertson noted the “critical importance of building digital literacy nationwide in the Cayman Islands including upskilling teachers at all levels in the use of artificial intelligence.”

Deasey-Weinstein added “small island developing states cannot afford to wait for AI governance frameworks designed elsewhere to trickle down. The Cayman Islands is a global economic power, and it is building its own AI framework, grounded in evidence, shaped by international best practice, and designed for a jurisdiction where every policy decision has outsized impact.”

Deasey-Weinstein is a recognised expert on artificial intelligence who serves as a member of the Cayman Islands’ national task force on digital transformation, appointed by the Office of the Premier. She is also a member of Oxford University’s Executive Diploma in Artificial Intelligence for Business, studying alongside senior leaders from 25 countries.

Dr. Robertson, Past President of the University College of the Cayman Islands, currently serves as a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, School of Advanced Studies, University of London. He also presented a separate paper titled Developing the Workforce for the Future of Guyana, which examined efforts to build workforce capacity in the country identified as the fastest-growing economy globally in 2026, driven by recent oil and gas discoveries. In response to the growth pressures and the importance of ensuring local capacity to meet the skills gaps in the country, the University of Guyana hosted a Work Futures and Capacitation Conclave. Participants explored emerging tensions between skills and knowledge production, technology and humanity, traditional employment and new forms of work, as well as stability versus rapid disruption. The conclave focused on three main objectives: developing a shared understanding of work futures at the global, regional and local levels; crafting actionable workforce planning guidelines capable of responding to rapid change; and strengthening cross-sector partnerships among government, industry, communities and academia. Skills gaps in areas including digital literacy, numeracy, literacy soft skills as well as technical and vocational skills were identified in the conclave discussions as requiring attention.

Shortly after the conclave concluded ExxonMobil announced a US$100 million Guyana STEM initiative to strengthen the South American country’s national Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education capacity and support long-term workforce development aligned with economic growth. The program is intended to complement Guyana’s national education priorities and long-term economic development plans as a component of bridging the skills gap.

Dr. Robertson noted that “the questions facing Guyana and the Cayman Islands are different in scale but remarkably similar in structure. How do you build the workforce your economy will need five years from now, not five years ago? The solution to addressing the skills gap issue requires a strategic, evidence-based partnership approach between education, government and business to building and sustaining a globally competitive workforce.”

 About Dr. Robert W. Robertson

Dr. Robert W. Robertson is the Past President of the University College of the Cayman Islands and a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, School of Advanced Studies, University of London. His research focuses on the future of work, skills gaps, education quality, and evidence-based strategic leadership within the tertiary academic sector in the Caribbean. He is a Principal Fellow Higher Education Academy and Fellow City and Guilds London Institute.

About Tamsin Deasey-Weinstein

Tamsin Deasey-Weinstein is the AI and Intelligence Lead for the Cayman Islands Government’s National Digital Transformation Strategy Task Force. A certified AI Governance Professional (IAPP AIGP), she is a recognised authority on AI workforce strategy, a contributor to Forbes, and a regular commentator on BBC World Service. She hosts The AI Wave on CMR TV in the Cayman Islands. She is a Principal Fellow Higher Education Academy.