The regime has just found an international partner for its latest technological ambition: the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Cuba.
Miguel Díaz-Canel signed an agreement on Friday in Havana with the Russian government vice president, Dimitri Chernyshenko, which includes the establishment of a joint Artificial Intelligence laboratory.
The agreement was signed during the XXII Cuban-Russian Intergovernmental Commission. The government did not provide specific details regarding the scope, infrastructure, budget, or concrete applications of the project.
The Russian-Cuban AI laboratory joins more than a dozen bilateral agreements in various sectors such as health, cartography, and technology. Everything has been arranged under the usual institutional secrecy, with no consultation or public information regarding its feasibility or real impact on the country.
AI in Cuba without electricity, food, or medicine?
While the Cuban ruler insists on promoting the use of emerging technologies, the population faces a critical reality, with long daily blackouts, lack of stable internet connection, chronic shortages of food and medicine, and obsolete digital infrastructure.
This contrast is paradoxical and, for many, outrageous. Attempting to promote cutting-edge technological projects without addressing basic conditions only highlights the disconnection between the ruling elite and the everyday life of the Cuban people.
Beyond the formal announcement and diplomatic gestures, no details have been provided about how the AI laboratory will be developed, where it will be located, what funding it will have, or which professionals will participate in the project.
It has also not been reported whether the results will benefit the entire Cuban society or if it will be another government project limited to circles of power or military institutions.
Technology for a select few
These types of agreements, driven at the government level without mechanisms for citizen participation or private sector involvement, tend to further reinforce technological inequalities on the island.
The digital divide is already vast between the privileged sectors that have continuous access to the internet with mid-range or high-end devices and the majority of Cubans, who are limited by old equipment, unaffordable prices, and poor connectivity services.
Everything suggests that this bet on AI, rather than being a genuine strategy for national development, will ultimately become part of the technocratic rhetoric with which the government tries to display modernity to its international allies, while the population remains mired in precariousness and is waiting in line to withdraw money from an ATM.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Artificial Intelligence Agreement between Cuba and Russia
What does the agreement between Cuba and Russia to develop Artificial Intelligence entail?
The agreement between Cuba and Russia involves the establishment of a joint Artificial Intelligence laboratory. However, no details have been provided regarding its scope, infrastructure, or budget, raising questions about its viability in a country with significant technological limitations.
Why is the drive for AI in Cuba considered paradoxical according to the article?
The push for AI in Cuba is paradoxical because the country faces critical issues such as power outages, lack of stable internet, and shortages of food and medicine. These conditions raise doubts about the feasibility of developing advanced technological projects.
What criticisms are made of the Cuban government regarding the development of AI?
The Cuban government is criticized for projecting technological modernity while ignoring the structural deficiencies of the country. The lack of adequate infrastructure and the disconnection from the reality of the people highlight the inconsistency between the rhetoric and the actual conditions.
How does government secrecy affect technological development in Cuba?
The government's secrecy in Cuba limits citizen participation and reinforces technological inequalities, as projects are developed without transparency or public consultation, which increases the digital divide between the population and the circles of power.
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