The Commonwealth Artificial Intelligence Consortium (CAIC) Steering Committee convened for its second meeting in New York, marking a milestone in the Commonwealth's ongoing mission to address the digital and artificial intelligence (AI) divide across its 56-member states.
Held on September 23rd, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, this CAIC meeting aimed to identify areas of collaboration and resource mobilisation for AI initiatives to be discussed at the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) next month in October.
Speaking at the event, the Commonwealth Secretary-General the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC articulated her vision for the CAIC:
"The digital divide continues to threaten the progress of our smaller states, particularly the vulnerable groups: youth, women, and marginalised communities. It is a gap in opportunities, access, and empowerment. Through the CAIC, we will close this gap, ensuring that all our member states, regardless of size, can harness AI's potential to drive economic resilience, innovation, and sustainable development.
"AI has the power to transform the lives of millions across the Commonwealth, and we are determined to ensure that women and young people are at the forefront of this revolution," she said.
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Importance of AI for the Commonwealth
Established in June 2023, the CAIC emerged from the 2022 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Rwanda, where leaders reaffirmed their commitment to empowering citizens, particularly women, youth, and marginalised communities, to harness the benefits of digital innovation and AI.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is projected to contribute $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030. However, some Commonwealth nations, particularly its 33 small states, lag in AI infrastructure, with few having developed national AI strategies. The CAIC aims to equip these nations with AI capabilities to promote economic growth, sustainable development, and job creation. AI holds immense potential for small states, assisting in environmental protection, coastal management, and renewable energy generation. By addressing the AI divide, the CAIC seeks to prevent Commonwealth Small States from being sidelined in the digital race and ensure AI's benefits reach the most vulnerable.
CAIC mandates and structure
The CAIC operates through four working groups:
- Policy Development – led by Rwanda
- Research and Innovation – led by The Gambia, with Australia’s National AI Centre
- Capacity Building – led by Bangladesh, supported by UC Berkeley
- Data and Infrastructure – led by Malta, with NVIDIA
The AI divide deepens existing inequalities between technologically advanced nations and small, developing states. The CAIC recognises that addressing this divide is vital for economic resilience. Many of the Commonwealth's Small States will benefit from CAIC's capacity-building initiatives, including access to cloud infrastructure and AI training programmes.
Through initiatives like the Commonwealth AI Academy, the CAIC will train professionals in AI application and governance, offering scholarships and secondment programmes aimed at empowering youth and women. These efforts will help create sustainable AI-driven industries in sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, and renewable energy.
Empowering youth and women
The Commonwealth's 56 member countries represent a combined population of 2.7 billion people, with over 60% aged 29 or younger. The 2023/24 "Commonwealth Year of Youth" aligns with the CAIC's focus on empowering young people through AI and digital innovation.
As Chair of the CAIC Steering Committee, the Minister for Information and Communications Technology for Rwanda, H.E. Paula Ingabire, welcomed the progress made by the CAIC, underscoring the importance of ethical and responsible AI application. She emphasised the value placed on youth and highlighted that accessibility and equity in AI must be integral to the journey, sharing Rwanda’s developments in the AI space.
"I am proud of the progress the CAIC has made in promoting ethical and responsible AI across member states. Youth empowerment, accessibility, and equity must remain integral to our AI journey. Commonwealth’s vision for AI transcends technology; it is fundamentally about human development. It is about ensuring that the Commonwealth leads in responsible and inclusive AI practices," she said.
The CAIC's success depends on collaboration with the private sector. A meeting on 24 September 2024 with industry leaders from Intel, Open Weaver, and OBREAL Global reinforced commitments to scaling AI projects in the future.
As the CAIC enters its scaling phase, key initiatives include the AI Entrepreneurship Program, AI Incubator, Strategus AI, AI Academy and AI Compute. These programs will build local AI ecosystems, particularly in small states, ensuring that Commonwealth nations can participate meaningfully in the global AI economy. The Consortium will further expand in other areas of AI and Climate change, cybersecurity, AI and Health as members of the CAIC have expressed support for these.
Through its initiatives, the CAIC is helping to bridge the AI divide while fostering innovation, creating jobs, and empowering the most vulnerable.
For more information, please visit the CAIC website at https://caic.thecommonwealth.org/ or email [email protected].
Media contact
- Rena Gashumba Communications Adviser, Communications Division, Commonwealth Secretariat
- T: +44 7483 919 968 | E-mail
