Artificial intelligence (AI) is a field of computer science that builds software that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. Rather than following rigid, pre-written rules, AI systems analyze large amounts of data to find patterns, learn from experience, and make decisions and predictions.
It is used in almost every modern industry to automate tasks, analyze data, and solve complex problems. Companies like Tesla, Waymo, and Cruise use AI cameras and sensors to navigate traffic, read road signs, and avoid obstacles.
Cars steered entirely by artificial intelligence (AI) are said to be much safer than human drivers at preventing serious injuries that result in crashes, but they still struggle with minor low-speed traffic accidents and bad weather.
Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and industry leaders reveals that while AI can eliminate human errors that cause 94% of traffic crashes (such as drunk driving, distraction, and fatigue), there are inherent software-based errors that occur.
Data shows that when an AI-driven car is involved in an accident, a human driver actually rear-ends it 4 out of 5 times. This is because AI often follows traffic laws perfectly, stopping accurately at yellow lights or yielding to pedestrians abruptly, catching human drivers behind them by surprise.
Humans can only look in one direction at a time. AI vehicles combine cameras, radar, and LiDAR to simultaneously monitor hundreds of yards in all directions, completely eliminating blind spots.
Currently, deploying fully autonomous AI vehicles in Grenada and most Caribbean islands is highly insecure and virtually impossible due to the islands’ extreme geography and infrastructure.
AI driving models are great on predictable, well-marked highways, but Grenada’s unique combination of narrow roads, blind corners, mountainous terrain, and region-specific driving habits creates an environment where modern AI systems won’t fully work.
AI vehicle sensors (LiDAR and radar) require clear line-of-sight to plan route options, so mountainous cliffs and dense rainforest foliage obstruct these sensors and significantly reduce the potential for AI to “look ahead.”
Grenada’s volcanic terrain is characterized by steep inclines, steep drop-offs, and notorious hairpins, such as those on the Grand Etain Road between St. George’s and Grenville, which currently make it impossible for AI vehicles to navigate.
Nevertheless, AI scans, X-rays, MRI, and CT scans are being used to detect diseases such as cancer faster and more accurately than the human eye alone.
Grenada’s banks are using AI primarily through regional partnerships, intelligent automation, and fintech integration.
The Caribbean Association of Banks (CAB) has partnered with technology providers such as Fluid AI to train local banks on the deployment of AI-powered chatbots, voice assistants, and virtual agents that can significantly reduce response times and respond to customer inquiries 24/7.
With the rise of synthetic IDs and AI-generated fake documents, local banks and the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) sector are increasingly deploying advanced AI fraud detection tools to protect their networks.
The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) uses artificial intelligence (AI) to approach a strategic combination of risk monitoring, internal digital transformation, regional policy planning, and community development.
As the monetary authority for Grenada and seven other island nations, its primary focus is on safely overseeing the financial system while promoting the modernization of the region. We are actively tracking how criminal networks are using generated AI to threaten regional financial stability.
Central banks issue public warnings and updates through platforms such as the ECCB Connects program. This study tracks how local commercial banks are integrating AI models into their credit scoring and internal data architectures to ensure they maintain strict regulatory standards, operational resiliency, and data quality.
For several years now, AI has been used to create and generate calypso. Tools like Suno and ChatGPT have been used to instantly generate lyrics and musical arrangements. However, AI calypso can sound generic and lacks authentic local rhythms, so many musicians use a hybrid workflow.
You can prompt the AI to write poems that match a particular rhyme scheme or storytelling style. However, many users on platforms like Reddit point out that AI lyrics can sometimes sound corny, so you may want to edit them yourself.
Regardless of how you feel about the risks of using AI, no one disputes that AI is here to stay. Businesses of all sizes are reaping significant benefits from leveraging AI, and consumers around the world are using it in their daily lives.
But even those who are excited about AI may have questions like, “What exactly are the benefits and drawbacks of using AI?” The benefits range from streamlining, saving time, eliminating bias, and automating repetitive tasks, just to name a few.
Disadvantages include high implementation costs, potential loss of human jobs, and lack of emotion and creativity. Among the main drawbacks of AI is that using this technology to automate routine tasks could threaten various sectors and lead to mass unemployment of workers without modern skills.
Another drawback is that because AI systems learn from past data, existing social biases can be inadvertently reinforced and amplified.
Additionally, AI relies on vast amounts of data, raising serious concerns about data breaches and personally identifiable information being collected without consent.
AI struggles to reproduce the human empathy, nuanced judgment, and true moral reasoning that are important in sensitive fields such as healthcare and education.
Using AI can be very costly, as building, training, and maintaining advanced AI systems requires significant financial investments in computing power and specialized human resources.
Training large-scale AI models consumes large amounts of electricity and water, posing significant environmental concerns. Over-reliance on technology can lead to a decline in human problem-critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
A major concern for older adults is the loss of personalized and caring communication. Because AI lacks genuine emotion, many older adults find it incapable of replicating the empathy needed in sensitive situations, such as receiving medical care, financial advice, and customer service.
Seniors are often targeted by scams and are often wary of AI being used to circumvent security. Many people feel vulnerable to advanced AI-powered fraud and identity theft tactics.
Technology is often designed with digital fluency in mind. This creates a “gray digital divide” where older adults feel left out and marginalized by AI systems that do not take into account age-related changes in vision, motor skills, and cognitive adaptability.
Additionally, AI systems and hiring algorithms often exhibit ageist biases and can marginalize older people in the workplace. Additionally, older adults often have decades of valuable, irreplaceable, and highly specific real-world expertise accumulated.
They believe that AI is an inferior substitute for the nuanced decision-making abilities that experienced humans bring. Many older adults are also concerned about the social implications of AI, specifically the potential for AI to replace human workers and for young people to become overly dependent on machines for basic skills and critical thinking.
Despite these concerns, not all older adults reject AI. Many people are actually very interested in AI applications if they are explained in clear and understandable language.
Research shows that many older adults are adopting AI for safety, independence, and convenience, especially for home and public safety, fraud prevention, and independent living assistance.
Simeon Collins is a former Director-General of the Grenada Bureau of Standards and the first CEO of the Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Authority (CAHFSA), a CARICOM agency.
