Dominican leads Humanitarian AI project in Colombia, Nigeria, and Ethiopia

Santo Domingo.- Dominican economist and data scientist Alberto Castillo Aroca is leading the Arems (Agentic Risk and Environmental Management System) project—an innovative Humanitarian Artificial Intelligence platform designed to help vulnerable communities in Colombia, Nigeria, and Ethiopia manage environmental risks and disasters. Developed by the NGO 3iS and selected by the Google.org Gen AI Accelerator, the project demonstrates how AI can be used to save lives rather than merely drive industry growth.

During his keynote address “New Trends in Artificial Intelligence” at the Catholic University of Santo Domingo (UCSD), Castillo Aroca outlined a strategic vision for the Dominican Republic and Latin America to harness AI for social impact. He explained that the project integrates technologies like Gemini and GraphRAG, which allow AI systems to create “mental maps” and make informed decisions in crisis situations. He emphasized that the region’s advantage lies not in computing power but in applied ingenuity, calling on governments to invest in local talent and innovation instead of competing with global superpowers such as the U.S. and China.

As part of a national AI strategy, the expert proposed two paths for the Dominican Republic: forming strategic alliances with major technology companies—like El Salvador’s collaboration with Google—or promoting technological sovereignty through open-source models and the creation of local startups.