NASSAU, BAHAMAS- The largest-ever artificial intelligence forum held in The Bahamas has been hailed as a potential catalyst for accelerating the responsible use of the technology by local leaders across government and industry.
Attendees at the PBS AI & Innovation Forum heard that using artificial intelligence responsibly could be key to unlocking the potential of The Bahamas. Montino Roberts, the founder and executive chairman of Proficient Business Services (PBS), urged participants to consider how they could adopt AI responsibly as the technology becomes increasingly essential.
The event, held Thursday at the British Colonial hotel, was the biggest of its kind in the country, drawing a packed audience. There was standing room only, with extra chairs brought in to accommodate a larger-than-expected turnout that included representatives from Customs, the police, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, the Public Hospitals Authority, the Ministry of Finance, as well as private banks and businesses.
Among the featured speakers was Noelle Russell, a five-time Microsoft AI MVP and a member of the team that created Amazon’s Alexa.
Organisers said the forum was designed to kickstart a national and regional conversation about the use of AI in The Bahamas and the wider Caribbean, highlighting how the technology could unlock potential at every level—from the public service to sophisticated financial services providers.
Mr Roberts said: “AI is here, whether we embrace it or resist it, so it is important to have the conversation about what it can do for us all, and how we should be using it. This forum saw many great voices talking not just about the technical aspects of AI but also the leadership that goes with it, the decisions that need to be made as you introduce it. Time and again, people reiterated that AI is something that can help your workforce, rather than replace it, giving your staff the tools to make their time count.”
Ricardo Parchment, a systems engineer at Fortinet, said the event was invaluable, adding: “The presenters were great and there were very thoughtful questions. AI is not a replacement, it is to reduce the busy work and allow people to focus on then improving things. The more you allow people to do meaningful work rather than filling various forms or simply doing repetitive tasks, the more you can make the most of their skills.”
Alessandro Major, of local digital company Sapodil, said: “I think AI is important because the life of our country is the small business community. AI can help people get more done with their day. AI can help businesses to see where the gains are. The Bahamas is placed in a way where we are very much exposed to AI on a daily basis. Most of us travel, most of us import shipping. That is what is happening, bringing a lot of AI into our daily lives.”
His colleague, Gerrard Johnson, added: “AI can take that workload off you. You are taking something that can take 30 minutes and that frees up your time to focus on something more meaningful.”
“In my field, I have had presentations from foreign companies,” said Enrique Rolle, of the Ministry of Finance’s National Targeting Centre. “It would be advantageous if we could get a local company to do these kind of things. The agricultural community, healthcare, I would see those areas benefiting from AI here in The Bahamas.”
Mr Roberts said the event was a success, with many attendees calling for it to become an annual fixture.
“The response from people has been very strong. There is a real eagerness to learn how to make the most of AI. Many people are very early in their AI journey, and want to find the right way to use it, so events like these allow people to talk, exchange ideas and learn what is working for others – and what the fears are. This gave people a chance to connect and have that conversation, and I hope that conversation continues through the coming weeks and months. There is a real opportunity for The Bahamas to use AI to make the most of its potential, and I hope this can serve as a springboard to that,” he said.
