Minister of Public Administration and Artificial Intelligence (MPAAI) Dominic Smith says artificial intelligence has immense potential to positively shape the public service. However, he asserted that AI should not replace workers but aid them. In his address on day two of Amcham T&T’s 7th Annual Tech Hub Islands Summit (THIS) 2025 on yesterday, Smith said, “AI holds enormous potential—from predictive healthcare analytics to intelligent traffic systems. But we must proceed wisely, prudent and mindful of the risks: privacy, security, ethics and job displacement. Our approach is clear: AI should augment, not replace, human capability. It should enable public servants to focus on high-value, people-centred work.”
He added, “We will support AI innovation hubs and incubators, nurturing home-grown solutions tailored to our unique Caribbean realities and nuances.” The minister noted that Government needed some buy-in from the private sector, as it attempted to pursue digital transformation in terms of e-government and e-identity platforms, while also being mindful of the lingering threat of cybersecurity.
