As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly transforms security systems Jamaica faces an important question: Are we prepared to govern AI surveillance before we deploy it?

AI-powered surveillance technologies can assist with threat detection, crowd management, critical infrastructure protection, border security, and incident response. Used responsibly, these systems can enhance public safety and support faster, more informed decision-making. However, technology alone does not guarantee security. Without appropriate oversight, accountability, and safeguards, the same tools that protect citizens can also undermine privacy, civil liberties, and public trust.

Jamaica recorded approximately 49 million cyberattack attempts in 2025, with millions more detected so far this year. Although most attacks were successfully blocked, several local organizations have experienced breaches, highlighting the increasingly complex threat landscape. At the same time, cybersecurity experts estimate a global shortage of nearly 4.8 million professionals, raising concerns about whether sufficient expertise exists to manage advanced AI-driven systems securely, ethically, and effectively. As organizations collect and process increasing volumes of data through interconnected technologies, the governance and protection of that information become just as important as the technologies themselves.