AI Takes Center Stage at University of the West Indies Conference

The University of the West Indies (UWI) must lead the Caribbean’s digital transformation or risk falling into a new form of colonization – digital dependency.

This warning came from C. Justin Robinson, Principal of UWI’s Five Islands Campus, during the second annual Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research Conference, which concluded last week.

“UWI has long served as the intellectual heart of the region, driving nation-building and liberation movements,” Robinson said. “Now, we must lead the charge for digital sovereignty.”

He emphasized that universities must become engines of digital empowerment, ensuring the Caribbean shapes its own technological future rather than remaining dependent on imported digital systems and solutions.

“In the past, we exported raw materials and imported finished goods. We cannot allow that same model to repeat itself in the digital age,” Robinson said, urging regional institutions to take control of AI development and deployment.

Robinson underscored the unique position of Caribbean universities, particularly UWI, to guide this transformation. “No algorithm built in Silicon Valley, no system designed in Singapore, can fully grasp the intricacies of our islands and peoples.”

Calling the conference more than an academic event, Robinson framed it as a declaration of intent: “The Caribbean will not be spectators in the AI revolution—we will be co-authors of humanity’s next chapter.”