Thanks to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Caribbean and other developing countries have the potential to accelerate their development and economic diversification, as well as increase competitiveness through technologies such as AI and the Internet of Things. With Dr Curtis Charles, of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Five Islands Campus, and a key driver of the UWI Five Islands AI Research Conference, we discuss: the upcoming 2025 AI Research Conference scheduled for the end of June; the AI-related opportunities that Caribbean countries should more aggressively pursue; ways in which Caribbean countries can to truly capitalise on the opportunities AI brings; and where Caribbean countries should be putting their AI investment dollars.

 

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The global economy has undergone seismic shifts in recent decades, propelled by advances in science, technology, and innovation. For the Caribbean region – marked by its rich cultural heritage, diverse ecosystems, and strategic geographic location – harnessing the synergies between academia, research, technology, industry, and innovation is not just an opportunity, but a necessity for sustainable economic and social development.

A robust academic and research ecosystem is at the heart of any knowledge-based economy. Caribbean universities and research institutions, such as The University of the West Indies (UWI), play a critical role in developing the intellectual capital needed to fuel innovation. These institutions are not only responsible for educating the next generation of scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs, but also for producing research that addresses the unique challenges of the region, from climate change and disaster resilience to food security and renewable energy.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is among the most prominent, innovative and lucrative fields, as it promises to drive long-term transformation of our societies. Further, AI can potentially solve a broad range of real-world problems, especially in developing countries. This is where universities and other tertiary education institutions come in: to highlight these societal problems and to leverage academic research to create solutions that have a real-world impact.

 

Introducing our guest

Dr Curtis Charles

Dr. Curtis B. Charles currently serves as Dean and Director of Academic Affairs at The University of the West Indies, Five Islands Campus, where he provides strategic leadership for the Schools of Science, Computing and Artificial Intelligence; the Schools of Business and Management; the Schools of Humanities & Education; the Schools of Health and Behavioral Sciences the Center of Excellence for Oceanography and the Blue Economy; the Lifelong Learning Units; and Recruitment and Retention. Dr. Charles is the visionary behind the creation of the Caribbean’s only School of Science Computing and Artificial Intelligence.

A dynamic force in shaping the Caribbean’s digital future, Dr. Charles is the architect for The UWI’s AI Research Conference and leads the university’s “Generative AI for Good” Research Cluster. Under his leadership, groundbreaking degree programmes in Generative Pharmacy (using AI to create new drugs and patient care), Data Science, Non-Communicable Disease Management, and AI have been launched, in collaboration with global institutions such as Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC).

With over 25 years of experience spanning academia, government, and the corporate tech industry, Dr. Charles has held transformative roles—including University President, IBM Strategy and Change Executive Consultant, Microsoft Solutions Architect, and Vice President of Research and Development at a Department of Defense consulting firm—delivering high-impact solutions in AI, analytics, and cybersecurity across Asia, Europe, and the United States.

He holds degrees from MIT, Northwestern University, Howard University, and Morgan State University, and advanced certifications from Harvard and MIT in big data, performance assessment, education leadership, systems thinking, and machine learning.

Dr. Charles is a passionate advocate for regional transformation through AI, and an internationally respected thought leader bridging innovation, education, and public service.

 

Insights into our conversation

As a son of the Caribbean soil, Dr Charles was trying to find a way to give back to the region that would leverage his skills and experience whilst also having a meaningful impact. The opportunity at the then just-launched UWI Five Islands Campus in Antigua and Barbuda seemed to have been kismet, as it has not only tapped into his academic and administrative background but also his passion for AI, which has helped to place the Caribbean at the table of several global AI conversations.

During our conversation, Dr Charles used the following phrase a few times: “The art of the possible”. Although in political and diplomatic circles, it suggests a more pragmatic posture, where the focus is on what is attainable instead of idealistic goals, within the context of the Five Islands Campus and the School of Computing and Artificial Intelligence, it seems to point to the fine dance needed to navigate beyond pragmatism, perceived boundaries and constraints. Who would have thought that in less than six years, since its launch in 2019 and on the heels of a global pandemic, the UWI Five Islands Campus would have been able to more than quadruple its initial enrolment and host a global AI research conference, which seems likely to become an annual event? In other words, the Five Islands Campus seems to be punching way above its weight, which should inspire all of us to do the same.

Below are the main questions posed to Dr Charles during our conversation.

  1. Please share with us some of your background and how you moved from being in academia in the US to becoming a key champion of AI and the AI conference in Antigua and Barbuda.
  2. How and why was the School of Computing and Artificial Intelligence established?
  3. How did the first staging of the UWI Five Islands AI Research Conference come about? And what were its objectives?
  4. Were there any important learnings from last year’s conference?
  5. Staging a regional or international event is a lot of work. Why was it felt necessary to host another event so soon?
  6. Similar to last year’s event, it appears that this year’s conference will only be in-person. Why, when there would likely be a greater participation if online access is also permitted?
  7. The theme for this year’s event is Bridging Digital Frontiers: AI for Caribbean Sustainability. Why was it selected, and what are the expectations from this event?
  8. What are the AI-related opportunities that you wish Caribbean countries would more aggressively pursue?
  9. It appears that AI seems to be the remit of tech giants, and developing countries will only be able to either get the spoils at the fringes or use the services big tech offers us. Is there any way for us to truly capitalise on the opportunities AI can bring?
  10. AI is considered a capital-intensive field, but if Caribbean countries are going to meaningfully participate, they need to make some investment. Where should Caribbean countries be putting their AI investment dollars?

 

We would love to hear your thoughts!

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Also, if you or a member of your network is interested in joining us for an episode, do get in touch.

Let’s make it happen!

 

Select links

Below are links to some of the organisations and resources that were mentioned during the episode, or otherwise might be useful

 

 

Images credit:  C Charles; UWI;  UWI Five Islands Campus;  jannoon028 (Freepik)

Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell

Podcast editing support: Mayra Bonilla Lopez