Beyond AI Adoption: Data Sovereignty, Economic Participation and the Governance Execution Gap in Guyana and CARICOM

This policy brief examines the governance challenges confronting Guyana and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) as artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly influential in economic development, trade, public administration, and digital markets. It argues that technological adoption alone cannot secure meaningful economic participation or sustainable development without the institutional, legal, and policy arrangements necessary to govern AI-driven value creation and distribution. Drawing on the original scholarship of Dr. Abiola Inniss, the brief integrates four analytical concepts: the Execution Gap, Inniss Data Nullius, Digital Plantation, and the Principle of Data Reversion. Together, these frameworks illuminate the structural inequalities, data extraction risks, institutional deficiencies, and sovereignty challenges that may limit Caribbean participation in emerging digital economies. The analysis situates these concerns within existing regional and international policy initiatives, including CARICOM's Single ICT Space agenda, Caribbean AI governance developments, and relevant UNESCO and WIPO guidance. Particular attention is given to Guyana's evolving digital economy and the wider implications for regional economic integration, institutional readiness, and the retention of economic value generated through Caribbean data and innovation. The brief advances the position that effective AI governance requires more than regulatory declarations, technological investment, or imported policy models. It calls for context-sensitive governance architecture, stronger institutional coordination, and mechanisms that enable Caribbean states and enterprises to participate meaningfully in AI-driven economic activity. Published by the Inniss Institute for Digital Policy and Intellectual Property, this brief contributes to ongoing debates on digital sovereignty, intellectual property governance, AI policy, and sustainable economic development in small-state and Global South contexts. It also identifies areas requiring further institutional assessment and specialized policy engagement.