Head of the Academic Studies at the University of the West Indies Five Island Campus, Dr. Curtis Charles, and one of the driving forces behind the upcoming 5th Industrial Revolution Artificial Intelligence Research Conference, said Antiguans and Barbudans must wake up to the fact that AI is here…not coming.
Speaking with Point Express newspaper, Dr. Charles said there is urgent need for nationals and residents to embrace AI as this technology is already transforming the world.
“At the heart of a groundbreaking conference lies a critical mission: to awaken Antiguans and Barbudans to the fact that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not a distant future—it is the present. The urgency was underscored by a recent article featuring one of the co-founders of Claude, a widely used large language model (LLM), which alongside OpenAI’s ChatGPT, is revolutionizing the digital landscape. These technologies are not hypothetical constructs—they’re actively reshaping industries, economies, and societies,” Dr. Charles observed.
He noted that one of the most startling projections shared is that within the next five years, 50% of white-collar jobs could be lost due to automation and AI-driven systems. “This is a clarion call for retraining and reskilling, especially within the public sector. Government entities need to embrace short courses tailored to emerging roles, such as those focused on data analytics—a common thread running through finance, medicine, and nearly every other professional field. With AI, decision-making is increasingly data-driven, necessitating analytical literacy at all levels,” he declared.
He made it clear that AI isn’t just a novelty; it’s a tool for efficiency and strategic advantage.
A sobering point was made: “If your job is the same way it was 10 years ago, you’re cheating the government.”
He noted that the training is AI should also extend to members of the diplomatic corps who must operate in a world where this is increasingly being used. This statement underscores the urgency for transformation. AI is not replacing diplomats—yet—but those who understand and use it will certainly replace those who don’t. This is why retraining mid-level and lower-level foreign service staff is essential to national competitiveness.
The conference runs from June 22-24.
