Prime Minister Gaston Browne has outlined plans to enhance public sector services using artificial intelligence, as Antigua and Barbuda prepares for the second annual UWI Five Islands AI Research Conference.

Speaking on Pointe FM, Browne said the government is focusing on AI-driven improvements in healthcare and education, which will require significantly increased internet bandwidth.

“I expect, for example, that we’ll be acquiring medical technologies driven by AI,” he said. “Even the delivery of pedagogy in schools—using smart boards for complex subjects like maths and physics—will demand ten times the current bandwidth.”

The Prime Minister stressed the importance of the CELIA Submarine Cable System in supporting the digital transformation, noting that traditional providers would make such bandwidth cost-prohibitive.

While acknowledging the high costs of infrastructure, including an estimated US$20 million for subsea cable investments and maintenance, Browne said the government is committed to reducing long-term internet costs and improving digital access for all.

“The plan is there, we are raising the necessary resources; we are implementing—so this is not just talk,” he said.