The UWI, Regional Headquarters, Jamaica. Thursday, March 21, 2024—From July 8-10, 2024, The University of the West Indies (The UWI) Five Islands Campus in Antigua will host the first international artificial intelligence conference, ‘Reimagining the Digital Transformation of the Caribbean in an Age of Regenerative AI and the Fifth Industrial Revolution’. Register at: https://cvent.me/5WLmlE before April 30 to take advantage of the early bird discount. 

The conference commences on July 8, 2024, with welcome remarks from The UWI’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, and Five Islands Campus Principal, Professor Justin Robinson. Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister, The Honourable Mr. Gaston Browne will then deliver a keynote address, followed by a fireside chat by Generative AI luminaries. 

Joining the conference as keynote speakers are esteemed experts in the field such as Dr Danielle Belgrave, VP of Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning at GlascoSmithKline AI (GSK); Dr Bharat N. Anand, Vice Provost for Advances in Learning at Harvard University and the Henry R. Byers Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School; Dr Chris Jones, the 2022 Democratic nominee for Governor of Arkansas; and Dr Nicholas Fuller, Vice President of IBM Research for Automation and Edge Computing.

According to Principal Robinson, the conference is taking place at “a time when the world is rapidly evolving and therefore it is imperative that we harness the power of AI to propel our region forward, addressing critical sustainable development goals while fostering a culture of knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and ethical technological advancement. This conference will catalyze ground-breaking research, innovative thinking, and transformative collaborations that will shape the future of the Caribbean, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of technological advancements and sustainable development.”

The conference aspires to serve as a hub for AI experts, policymakers, and stakeholders, fostering collaboration on AI adoption strategies, addressing AI-related risks, and fostering ethical practices. It aims to pave the way for an innovative approach and transformative collaborations that will shape the Caribbean’s future, by uniting renowned AI minds globally to explore how AI can drive sustainable development in the Caribbean region.

Thus far, the conference has accepted over 80 research papers from academics, both regionally and internationally. A slate of 60 international and regional panellists will speak on a diverse range of topics from AI in healthcare to sustainable agricultural practices and smart city development. 

Kicking off on July 8, 2024, the conference will offer an engaging pre conference workshop for educators, students, and those curious about the basics of generative AI, featuring tools such as ChatGPT. On July 9, nine panels will be hosted, including an opening session titled ‘Igniting the Potential: Powering the 5IR Innovations in the Caribbean,’ which will explore the role of AI and 5IR in the region. The day will close with a panel on ‘Transforming the Future: Unleashing AI to tackle Climate Change and its impact on health and disaster preparedness.’ On the third day of the conference will feature an opening panel entitled “Navigating Legal Frontiers in the Age of Generative AI”. This final day of the conference will include a range of panels which will focus on AI’s impact on tourism, maritime, cyber security and data privacy, banking, education and skills development. 

For those interested in sponsoring the conference, five sponsorship levels: Title, Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze, provide unique benefits and corporate connection to the conference. Full details can be found on the conference website.

Registration is now open and easily accessible via the conference website: fiveislandsaiconference.com. 

Connect via LinkedIn and Facebook to stay informed on conference developments at https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/the-uwi-five-islands-ai-conference; www.facebook.com/UWIFICAIConference. 

For further information please contact the conference’s co-chairs: Dr Curtis Charles: [email protected] and Dr Indrani Bachan-Persad: [email protected].

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