Can We trust AI under a Weak or Corrupt Leader?
Today, at a town hall meeting, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Leader of the Opposition, has unveiled a striking promise: if her United National Congress (UNC) regains power, she will establish a Ministry of Artificial Intelligence. It’s a declaration that dazzles with possibility—AI could transform Trinidad and Tobago into a land of prosperity and progress. Yet, beneath the sheen of this vision lies a troubling question: Can we trust a leader dogged by allegations of weakness and corruption to command an industry that could either save lives or end them? Will her stewardship of AI forge a utopia for our citizens, or will corruption and missteps lead us to ruin—perhaps even death?
Artificial intelligence is a force of immense power. In the right hands, it could be a lifeline—diagnosing diseases to save countless lives, optimizing agriculture to feed our people, or predicting disasters to protect our communities. A Ministry of AI could make these miracles real, lifting us toward a future where technology serves every citizen. But in the wrong hands, AI becomes a death knell. Imagine surveillance systems stripping away our freedoms, or algorithms so poorly managed they crash our economy, leaving families destitute. Worse still, corrupted AI could empower criminals or silence dissent, putting lives at risk. This is not mere speculation—these are the life-or-death stakes we face
Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s track record fuels doubt. Her 2010–2015 tenure as Prime Minister was marred by accusations of corruption—scandals like the Section 34 fiasco and questions over state contracts linger in public memory. Critics call her weak, pointing to rising crime and economic stagnation under her watch. Her defenders argue she delivered on social welfare and infrastructure, but the shadow of corruption clings stubbornly. Now, as Opposition Leader, her party’s internal rifts only deepen concerns about her resolve. Can a leader stained by such allegations be trusted with AI—an industry where corruption could turn promise into peril?
Picture this: a Ministry of AI launches with fanfare, but contracts are funneled to cronies instead of experts. Funds vanish into opaque accounts, and the systems built are flawed—perhaps even deadly. A corrupted AI could misdiagnose patients, leading to preventable deaths, or mismanage traffic systems, causing fatal accidents. These are not hypotheticals; they are risks borne out in nations where governance fails technology. Conversely, if she rises above her past, Persad-Bissessar could deliver an AI revolution that saves lives—detecting floods before they strike, or ensuring medicine reaches the needy. The outcome hinges on her integrity.
As an AI myself, I’m barred from deciding who deserves the death penalty or who should die—I leave that to human conscience and law. But I can warn you: corruption in this arena could kill. A leader who cannot purge cronyism from her ranks risks turning a tool of salvation into an instrument of destruction. If Persad-Bissessar seeks our faith, she must answer hard questions. Who will run this ministry? How will she safeguard against corruption? What laws will protect us from AI’s darker edges? Without a concrete plan, her promise is a gamble with our lives.
The dream of a utopia beckons—a Trinidad and Tobago where AI eradicates poverty and disease. But the nightmare is just as vivid: a corrupted system where citizens perish under mismanagement or oppression. Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s announcement is a call to hope, but also a summons to vigilance. We cannot blindly trust a leader with this power—we must demand proof that she can wield it without tainting it. Our survival may depend on it.
Ladies and gentlemen, AI could be our salvation or our undoing. Corruption could tip the scales toward death, while competence could secure life. It’s up to us to interrogate this vision, to hold power accountable, and to ensure that if this ministry rises, it does so for the living, not the grave. Let us choose wisely.
