What the Caribbean AI Summit Means for AI's Future
Edward Roske
In October 2026, San Juan, Puerto Rico will host the Caribbean AI Summit. I’m co-chairing it. And we’re not being modest about the ambition: it will be the largest AI conference Puerto Rico has ever seen, the largest in the Caribbean (probably), and one day, if the Gods are willing and the creek don’t rise, maybe the largest in the world.
That’s not a typo.
Why Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico sits at the intersection of the US and Latin America: a bilingual, bicultural island with a growing tech ecosystem and a government that’s actively investing in AI. The Puerto Rico AI Community, which I serve as president, has grown to 850+ attendees across our events. The appetite here is real.
But the summit isn’t just for Puerto Rico. It’s for the global AI community. We’re bringing speakers, researchers, builders, and business leaders from around the world to a place that most of them have never considered as an AI hub. That’s part of the point.
What We’re Building
The Caribbean AI Summit isn’t another vendor expo. The programming is designed around three pillars:
AI in Practice: Real implementations, real results, real lessons. Not slide decks about what’s theoretically possible, but case studies from people who deployed AI and can tell you what actually happened.
AI for the Americas: Latin America and the Caribbean are underrepresented in global AI conversations. We’re changing that. Sessions in English and Spanish. Perspectives that don’t start and end with Silicon Valley.
AI Ethics and Governance: The hardest problems in AI aren’t technical. They’re human. We’re dedicating significant programming to the questions that most conferences treat as a panel afterthought.
The Scale
October 16-17, 2026. Two days. Multiple tracks. An exhibitor floor. Keynotes from people whose names you’d recognize and workshop leaders whose work you should.
We’re not announcing speaker names yet. But I’ll say this: when we do, you’ll understand why we’re confident about the “largest” claim.
Why This Matters
Most AI conferences happen in San Francisco, New York, or London. The same cities, the same speakers, the same conversations. We think AI’s future should be shaped by a broader set of voices, in a broader set of places.
Puerto Rico is a US territory. No passport required for Americans. Direct flights from most major cities. And the infrastructure, energy, and talent to host something world-class.
If you’re working in AI, building it, deploying it, governing it, or trying to figure out what it means for your organization, I’ll see you in San Juan.