The AI for Good Global Summit 2025 and the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)+20 High-Level Event 2025 are two major events in this year’s AI calendar. In this episode, we are joined by Christopher Reckord, the Chairman of Jamaica’s National Artificial Intelligence Task Force, who attended both events. We discuss, among other things: specific objectives or goals he had in attending the events; valuable takeaways he had; the current posture on AI governance; and topics or issues debated that should have more visibility in the Caribbean region.

 

This episode is also available on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music!!

Once again, we have an interesting mix of topics, which are outlined below.Over the last few months, there have been several artificial intelligence (AI)-related events both regionally and worldwide that it would be almost impossible, but definitely expensive, for an individual to attend them all. Moreover, and to some degree, each event would be tackling AI from a slightly different angle, with different guests and speakers, which means that prospective attendees ought to carefully evaluate such events to ensure they are aligned with their needs.

Earlier this month, two important global events were held: the AI for Good Global Summit 2025 and the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)+20 High-Level Event 2025. AI for Good, an initiative of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and over 40 United Nations partners, “is identifying innovative AI applications, building skills and standards, and advancing partnerships to solve global challenges”.  WSIS, another initiative led by the ITU, “is an existing multistakeholder United Nations (UN) process on digital governance and cooperation with a vision of fostering people-centred, inclusive, and development-oriented information and knowledge societies”. Both events were held in Geneva, Switzerland, at the same venue, with the AI for Good Global Summit being held from 7—10 July 2025, and the WSIS+20 High-Level Event from 7—11 July 2025.

These events would be represented by virtually all UN member countries and would be a hotbed for discourse by policymakers, the private sector, academia, and international non-governmental and donor organisations, to name just a few of the constituents. Unfortunately, Small Island Developing States (SIDS), including those in the Caribbean region, tend not to be well-represented, but if we are keen to accelerate our continued digital transformation and to better leverage AI, it is vital that we participate in these global conversations.

 

Introducing our guest

Christopher Reckord

Christopher Reckord is a Technology Entrepreneur, Wine Enthusiast, Foodie and lifelong learner. He is the co-author of the book, Successful Digital Transformation – Your World, Your Business, Your Life … reimagined.

Chris has been an executive in Cybersecurity and IT Provider firms for almost 40 years. He is currently an Advisor and Consultant helping organisations grow and scale by implementing a customised business blueprint and transformation system, and as a Virtual Chief Executive Officer / Virtual Chief Technology Officer offering advisory services on business development, growth and scaling with digital transformation.

For public service, Chris serves on a number of boards and committees for businesses and the Government of Jamaica, including the recently formed National Artificial Intelligence Taskforce, where he serves as Chairman and the Data Protection Oversight Committee (DPOC), where he currently serves as Chairman.

For fun, his love for the business of wine has seen him become the leading voice on the topic of wine in Jamaica, writing a weekly column for the Jamaica Observer for over 10+ years and conducting regular wine education and entertainment events.

 

Insights into our conversation

As a seasoned IT expert and former Chief Executive Officer, Chris has participated in more than his fair share of international events and trade shows, but those were usually private sector-driven or hosted by the big tech companies. However, the world of global policy and diplomacy was a new experience for him. He thus took the opportunity to learn and participate fully, and even ended up hosting a panel.

One of Chris’s biggest takeaways from the AI for Good Summit and the WSIS event is that the challenges experienced by Caribbean countries might not be unique. Other countries are having similar or even worse experiences. Moreover, the region might have insights and strategies to share from which others can learn and benefit.

With that new perspective, that SIDS countries deserve a seat at the table, the questions posed below should give you some insight into Chris’s experience at the two events.

  1. When you were last on the Podcast, which was just a few months ago, February to be exact, the AI policy recommendations emanating from Jamaica’s National Artificial Intelligence Task Force had just been made publicly available. Have there been any developments over the past 6 months?
  2. In the last few weeks, you attended the WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 and the AI For Good Global Summit, which were held in Geneva, Switzerland. Why were you keen to participate in those events?
  3. And did you have any specific objectives or goals in attending the WSIS and AI for Good events?
  4. Were there any valuable takeaways that you believe are especially applicable to Jamaica and/or the Caribbean region?
  5. Were there any innovative or potentially useful case studies on how AI is being used for good that Caribbean countries can learn from?
  6. What was the general posture regarding AI governance?
  7. Are there any issues discussed that you believe should have more visibility in the Caribbean region?
  8. For developing countries, which are often still challenged by foundational issues, such as internet access, service quality, digital literacy, inclusion, etc., it can sometimes feel that we are behind the rest of the world regarding being able to fully and meaningfully leverage AI. How might we better navigate global spaces, such as the AI For Good Global Summit and the WSIS event, and ensure that we have a seat at the table?

 

We would love to hear your thoughts!

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Also, if you or a member of your network is interested in joining us for an episode, do get in touch.

Let’s make it happen!

 

Select links

Below are links to some of the organisations and resources that were mentioned during the episode, or otherwise might be useful.

 

 

Images credit:  C Reckord;  Jannoon028 (Freepik); Geneva Environment Network; Digital Watch Observatory

Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell

Podcast editing support: Mayra Bonilla Lopez