The Principal of the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus, Prof. C Justin Robinson, wants The UWI to ‘become the vanguards of the region’s digital transformation.
Prof. Robinson was speaking Monday at the opening session of the 2nd Annual Artificial Intelligence Research Conference being held at the UWI FIC.
Before an audience numbering in the hundreds, he noted that against the back drop of past colonisation for Caribbean people, the region today stands at the threshold of another colonisation, digital colonisation.
“Universities have always been more than institutions of learning – they are engines of societal transformation and, when history demands it, centers of resistance. Here in the Caribbean, The University of the West Indies has served for over seven decades as the intellectual heart of our region, nurturing minds that have shaped nations, economies, and liberation movements from Barbados to Belize, from Jamaica to Guyana.
“Today, our universities must become the vanguards of digital liberation. Just as UWI played a crucial role in the intellectual foundations of Caribbean independence movements, we must now lead the charge for digital sovereignty. We cannot allow the same mistakes that characterized earlier eras – where Caribbean economies remained dependent on exporting raw materials while importing finished goods – to be replicated in the digital realm,” he stated.
According to Prof. Robinson, the university’s role extends far beyond traditional education. He noted that in an era where artificial intelligence promises to reshape every aspect of human existence, universities like UWI must exercise thought leadership not just to enhance quality of life, but to ensure that the path to that enhancement runs through Caribbean agency rather than Caribbean dependency.
“We are uniquely positioned to lead this digital liberation because we understand our region’s complexities in ways that no external institution can. We know that our scattered islands and diverse territories face challenges that no algorithm developed in Silicon Valley or system designed in Singapore can fully comprehend,” he emphasised.
Meanwhile, CAF Regional Manager, Dr. Stacy Kennedy-Richards, noted that the Caribbean cannot afford to be left behind in the digital revolution now taking place.
“The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence is reshaping societies, economies and the future of work. We are at a point of inflection with regard to the use of AI and digital technologies – for better or for worse – depending on how they are deployed.
“We cannot afford to be spectators in this revolution, while other regions define the rules, and set the standards for AI. This is why this conference is so important, creating a space for necessary conversations about how we shape our own path in this rapidly evolving digital future,” she suggested.
The conference enters Day 2 today where several presentations and panel discussions on a wide range of topics will take place.
The Antigua and Barbuda government is one of the main sponsors of the conference as is evidenced by the active participation of several Cabinet Ministers, including Foreign Minister, E.P Chet Greene, Tourism Minister, Charles Fernandez and Education Minister, Daryll Matthew. Scores of public servants are also attending as delegates to the conference.
