The organisers of the upcoming 5th Industrial Revolution Artificial Intelligence Research conference, are putting together special workshops to empower teachers and public servants in how to use AI to improve efficiencies.
Academic Director of the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus, Dr. Curtis Charles, said the organisers are adopting what he termed ‘a hands-on approach’ with the first day of the conference, Sunday June 22, primarily dedicated to workshops for public servants and teachers.
“As part of the upcoming conference, there will be two key AI workshops on Sunday: one for teachers and another for public servants. These workshops will be held in the afternoon, allowing attendees to participate after church services, and importantly, they will be free of charge.
“For public servants, the workshops aim to provide hands-on exposure to AI tools that can be used in their daily tasks. For teachers—who often face financial constraints—the focus will be on equipping them with tools like Khan Academy and introducing software that allows AI integration into the classroom. Dr. Andrew Hunt and other facilitators will lead these parallel sessions, ensuring both groups receive targeted training,” Dr. Charles disclosed.
The focus on teachers and public servants us an essential part of what Dr. Charles describe as ‘reimagining government through change management’.
“True transformation,” the UWI academic argued, “requires more than just training a few departments.” The entire government must undergo a cultural shift, he added.
“You can’t put new wine in old skin,” he explained. It’s not enough to teach AI to a few public servants while others remain in legacy systems and outdated thinking. “All branches, including those in public diplomacy, must be aligned. Change management,” he noted, “can reveal resistance and friction—but it is the only way to future-proof public service.”
Turning to the speakers and presenters for the three-day conference, Dr. Charles described it as ‘a global conference with elite speakers’.
This year’s speaker roster is world-class and it includes:
- Sandy Chaipal, one of the world’s top AI specialists, will join from Dubai.
- The Vice President of Microsoft’s Agriculture Division will share innovations in AI for food systems.
- NVIDIA, the tech giant behind AI’s most powerful chips, will conduct workshops offering participants educational credits.
- Google will participate in discussions around AI and accessibility, with leadership from Ambassador Dr. Aubrey Webson.
- A Harvard professor will speak on AI and sustainability.
- Cherie Tulloch and another Harvard researcher will lead the panel on AI in healthcare.
This breadth of topics—from governance and education to health and agriculture—demonstrates the conference’s comprehensive vision.
It is the second staging of this important AI conference and the UWI FIC is at the cutting edge within the UWI system spearheading research and discussion on AI.
