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Caribbean Media Summit: UNESCO Showcases AI Policy Roadmap for the Region
From May 23 to 24, the 2025 Caribbean Media Summit was held in Guyana, bringing together journalists, media professionals, policy experts, and representatives from regional and international organizations. The event focused on the theme Evolving Media Business Models in Turbulent Times.
Organized by the Media Institute of the Caribbean in collaboration with the Guyana Press Association and hosted at the University of Guyana, the two-day event featured in-depth discussions on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in journalism—exploring its benefits and challenges for the media.
Academics, students, and other stakeholders also joined the discussions. Addressing the gathering, Kiran Maharaj, President of the Media Institute of the Caribbean, highlighted the “relentless advance” of AI as one of several challenges confronting journalists and media organizations across the region.
Ms. Maharaj also commented on how the media industry has been undergoing rapid changes driven by technological advancements, and how this is reshaping journalistic practices while increasingly challenging the sustainability of media organizations not only in the Caribbean but worldwide.
The democratization of information access through AI is a double-edged sword: it can empower our societies, but without robust governance, it may erode public trust and the very foundations of our media institutions.
Along these lines, Professor Paloma Mohamed Martin, Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana, considered important to reflect on how AI modifies the business of journalism amid ongoing disruption, and to think about whether the media’s role need to be redefined in response to these new shifts.
In a keynote address on behalf of the UN system, Dr. Paul Hector, Officer-in-Charge and Advisor for Communication and Information at the UNESCO Office for the Caribbean stressed the need to ensure that AI deployment aligns with the principles of equity, transparency, and the public interest.
Referencing the , Dr. Hector outlined a forward-looking vision for the ethical governance of AI, emphasizing safeguards to protect journalistic integrity, media sustainability, and rights. He also stressed the need to strengthen institutional and individual capacities.
Developed with governments, civil society, academia, and other stakeholders, the Roadmap promotes inclusive innovation and responsible AI use. It identifies key strategic priorities: strengthening digital skills and media literacy, ensuring fairness and accountability in AI systems, and advancing regional collaboration.
Dr. Hector noted that AI can drive economic transformation and sustainable development, particularly in the Caribbean. While many islands in the region are small, he emphasized that embracing digital technologies enables participation in emerging industries where physical size no longer limits human productivity.
Harnessing these technologies—for prediction, risk assessment, and the development of mitigation and adaptation strategies—gives AI tremendous potential to support sustainable development across our region.
