AI regulation in Cuba (2026)

Cuba's Council of Ministers formally adopted the Estrategia para el Desarrollo de la Inteligencia Artificial in May 2024 as a component of the national Digital Transformation Policy and Digital Agenda. MINCOM leads coordination, evaluation of socioeconomic impacts, and risk management across sectors.

The strategy is organised around: (1) ethics and legal framework; (2) human capital; (3) applications and services; (4) public administration; (5) science and innovation; and (6) social communication. Priority application sectors include health, education, agriculture, transport, and water supply.

UNESCO's AI Ethics and Governance Observatory country assessment confirms Cuba 'currently lacks specific AI legislation.' The strategy is a policy framework, not a statute with enforcement mechanisms; the ethics and regulatory axis signals intent to develop norms rather than establishing them.

Cuba enacted Law No. 149/2022 on Personal Data Protection, published in the Official Gazette on 25 August 2022 and entering into force in February 2023. It embodies consent and data-minimisation principles relevant to AI data pipelines but is not AI-specific legislation.

In November 2025 Cuba launched a national AI Consortium coordinated by the Havana Scientific and Technological Park to pool institutional capacity across health, education, and transport. Cuba also joined the BRICS AI Alliance Network, with the University of Computer Sciences and the Havana Science Park as member entities.

In February 2025, UNESCO and MINCOM co-hosted a national workshop in Havana on 'Ethics of Artificial Intelligence: Equity, Rights, Inclusion.' UNESCO's Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) was applied to Cuba and recommended establishing multi-stakeholder governance and updating existing laws to align with ethical AI and human-rights standards.