News Releases

Unlocking AI: UWI St. Augustine Launches AI Centre to Shape the Caribbean’s Digital Future

For Release Upon Receipt - December 19, 2025

St. Augustine


St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago – December 19, 2025 – The launch of the Artificial Intelligence Innovation Centre (AIIC) marks a defining moment for The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus and for the Caribbean as a whole. Approved as a Campus Centre in July, the AIIC was publicly inaugurated on December 13, 2025, at the Radisson Hotel, POS. The launch, themed “Unlocking AI: Collaborate, Create, Transform” brought together local, regional and international thought leaders in the AI space and was marked by the signing of MoUs with CARICOM IMPACS and The Development Bank for Resilient Prosperity. The afternoon post-launch session, also saw the release of the Caribbean AI Taskforce’s interim report: Harmonized AI Policies and Recommendations for the Caribbean and a hackathon titled: Caribbean AI Voices.

 

 Local, regional, and international partners are pictured at the Inaugural Launch of The University of the West Indies (The UWI) Artificial Intelligence Innovation Centre (AIIC), held at the Radisson Hotel on Saturday, 13 December 2025. Seated (L–R) are Professor Bheshem Ramlal, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal, Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine and Dr Craig Ramlal.

 In her opening remarks, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine underscored the Campus’s legacy as a pioneer in artificial intelligence and noted that as a Campus “we must build our own AI capabilities and indigenous solutions to tackle our unique and complex challenges.” Professor Antoine further explained that the Centre is critical in this regard, since it would ensure the sustainable and independent development of AI in the region, through the building of technological solutions, integrated with training and research.

 

 (L–R) Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal of The University of the West Indies (The UWI), Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine, and Lt. Col. Michael Jones, Executive Director of CARICOM IMPACS, shake hands following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with regional and international entities at the Inaugural Launch of The UWI Artificial Intelligence Innovation Centre (AIIC). The event was held at the Radisson Hotel on Saturday, 13 December 2025.

 

 Dr. Craig Ramlal, Executive Director of the AIIC shared the same sentiment and further added that, “We need to bring deep technical expertise to the table with all sectors and all of society so that we can chart our own course from within, as well as to give ourselves a powerful voice on the global stage.” Built on a foundation of strong collaboration between academia, government and international partners, the AIIC will support ethical AI development, inform regional policy and drive economic diversification beyond traditional sectors.

  Honourable Emeritus Professor Prakash Persad, Minister of Tertiary Education & Skills Training, discussed the aim to increase Trinidad and Tobago’s engagement with AI, noting, “Laptops are being distributed to secondary school students. They are enabled with AI technologies; thus, AI will be introduced to students at an early age.” This national initiative signals a deliberate shift toward early AI exposure, one that aligns seamlessly with the University’s responsibility to deepen that foundation through creating a clear pipeline from early exposure at the secondary level to higher education, skills development and industry-ready expertise.

 

 Senator the Honourable Emeritus Professor Prakash Persad, Minister of Tertiary Education and Skills Training, delivers his address at the Inaugural Launch of The UWI Artificial Intelligence Innovation Centre (AIIC), held at the Radisson Hotel on Saturday, 13 December 2025.

 Chair of the AIIC’s international scientific council, Emeritus Prof. Arokia Nathan of Cambridge University, brought insights into how the Caribbean can position itself into emerging technology markets while Undersecretary General Amandeep Singh Gill heralded the launch and affirmed the UN as “a committed partner on the journey ahead”

 Feature Speaker Dr. Vilas Dhar, President of the Patrick J McGovern Foundation, spoke of the Centre’s creation as a paradigm shift in thinking “ What does it mean to break the model… what does it mean to choose to create a new sense of agency around AI, one that is grounded in the lived experience of communities”, he highlighted the importance of regional Centres such as the AIIC and encouraged the approach, being grounded in neither hype nor horror, but of hope and optimism that can only reach fruition through partnerships and shared vision.

 

 Pictured (L–R) at the Inaugural Launch of The University of the West Indies (The UWI) Artificial Intelligence Innovation Centre (AIIC) are Professor Arvind Singh (Principal Investigator, AIIC-intelliGRID); Professor Arokia Nathan (Chair, International Scientific Council); Senator the Honourable Professor Prakash Persad; Dr. Craig Ramlal (Executive Director, AIIC); feature speaker Dr. Vilas Dhar (President, Patrick J. McGovern Foundation); and Professor Bheshem Ramlal (Chair, AIIC Advisory Committee). The event was held at the Radisson Hotel on Saturday, 13 December 2025.

 The announcement of the Launch of the AIIC was shared by the Patrick J McGovern Foundation: Patrick J McGovern Foundation announcement.

 The work of the AIIC is carried out through several research clusters which establish the Centre’s AI leadership across multiple sectors. These are spearheaded by: Prof. Arvind Singh (intelliGRID), Amanda Zilla (dream LAB), Azim Abdool (SEMI), Prof. Chris Maharaj(Innovations), Dr. Yohan Seepersad(Lightning), Dr. Ken Sooknanan (CyberAnalytics), Dr. Sharad Maharaj (ChemAI), Mr. Cade Coker (AMOS).

  The Artificial Intelligence Innovation Centre represents a clear commitment to shaping a digital future that serves people, institutions and national priorities across the region.  As emphasized by Dr. Ramlal: “This is bigger than Technology. If we want to have a distinctively Caribbean future, we need Caribbean Leadership in AI”.

 

 Members of the Artificial Intelligence Innovation Centre (AIIC) Executive Committee are pictured at the Inaugural Launch of The University of the West Indies (The UWI) AIIC, held at the Radisson Hotel on Saturday, 13 December 2025. Pictured (L–R) are Dr. Craig Ramlal; Mr. Cade Coker; Mr. Ravi Deonarine; Dr. Yohan Seepersad; Dr. Ken Sooknanan; Ms. Amanda Zilla; Mr. Azim Abdool; Professor Chris Maharaj; and Professor Arvind Singh.

 

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About The University of the West Indies

The University of the West Indies (The UWI) is the Caribbean’s premier higher education institution and one of only two regional universities in the world. With five campuses across the English-speaking Caribbean and global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe, The UWI continues to be a beacon of academic excellence, research innovation, and societal impact. Consistently ranked among the world’s best by Times Higher Education (THE), The UWI is a global leader in addressing critical challenges, including climate change, sustainability, and development.

As The UWI St. Augustine Campus celebrates its 65th anniversary in 2025 under the theme Beyond 65: From the Caribbean, For the World, it pays tribute to its Caribbean roots while highlighting its contributions to solving global challenges. This milestone underscores the campus's significant role in producing ground-breaking research and fostering talent that transcends regional boundaries to shape a better world. The UWI St. Augustine’s researchers, academics, and graduates continue to make an international impact, exemplifying the university’s mission to serve the region while influencing the world.

Learn more at www.uwi.edu 

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