The first edition of the Suriname AI Summit (SAIS) will take place on 27 and 28 October 2026 at the Torarica Ballroom in Paramaribo. The event will bring together entrepreneurs, policymakers, professionals and international experts to discuss the application of artificial intelligence within Surinamese organisations. In addition to opportunities for working more efficiently and innovation, data security and cybercrime will also be addressed.
The summit is an initiative of Qualogy Caribbean and will be combined with the tenth and final edition of the Social Media Conference Suriname (SMCS). The programme is aimed at IT specialists, executives and employees from, among others, the financial sector, human resources, marketing and legal services.
According to Nilesh Bishesar, managing director of Qualogy Caribbean, organisations must consider how they can deploy AI structurally. “Suriname is on the eve of major economic developments. The question is no longer whether AI affects organisations and companies, but how quickly they make the transition from isolated experiments to structural value,” he said.
Two topics will be central during the two-day programme: AI’s contribution to business results and the responsible and safe use of the technology. Participants will discuss, among other things, how AI can improve work processes, what skills employees need and how organisations can protect themselves against cybercrime involving AI.
In addition to presentations and panel discussions, there will be working sessions, including a crisis simulation for executives. Participants will address issues involving decision-making and organisational resilience.
The announced speakers include Rokesh Jankie, Head of AI Customer Engineering at Google Cloud; Rajeev Kalloe, AI Lead at Qualogy Nederland; and AI strategist Elly Kort, founder of AI met Impact. AI and cybercrime specialist Gina Doekhie of No More Cybercrime and Bishesar will also share their knowledge and practical experience.
Qualogy Caribbean sees developments in the oil and gas sector, increasing international trade and digitalisation as reasons to discuss the application of AI in Suriname. According to the organiser, the technology can support organisations in innovation and better decision-making, but its use also requires attention to privacy, security, ethics and clear responsibilities.
More information about the Suriname AI Summit is available at www.sais.sr.
