Technology, AI critical to strengthening national security – PM

Prime Minister, Brigadier (retired)  (PM) Mark Phillips has warned that rapidly evolving technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), is reshaping the global security landscape and must be fully integrated into Guyana’s national defence strategy.
Delivering the feature address at the launch of the National Defence Institute’s Certificate in Defence Studies, Phillips said modern threats are increasingly complex, fluid, and often invisible, requiring a more sophisticated and coordinated response.

“We must also recognise that technology is reshaping the security landscape, and artificial intelligence is a key part of that transformation,” he stated.
According to the PM, AI is already enhancing how nations approach security by improving surveillance, intelligence gathering, and decision-making.
“AI allows us to process vast amounts of information, identify patterns, and act faster than ever before. It strengthens our ability to monitor remote areas, detect illegal activity, and support real-time decision-making,” Phillips explained.
He noted that such tools will be vital in areas such as border surveillance and intelligence analysis, particularly as Guyana confronts emerging threats, including cybercrime, organised criminal networks, and environmental violations.
However, PM Phillips cautioned that technological advancement alone is not sufficient.
“But as powerful as these tools are, they must be guided by trained and disciplined professionals,” he said, adding that security personnel must understand “not only the capabilities of these technologies but also their limitations, risks, and ethical use.”
The PM stressed that national security must remain people-centred, even as technological capabilities expand.
“At its core, national security is not defined by equipment, infrastructure or technology alone. It is defined by the people who stand behind them; their discipline, awareness and ability to think critically are what truly determine our strength as a nation,” he said.
He outlined several key priorities for the Government, including strengthening cyber security systems, improving intelligence coordination, modernising defence institutions, and enhancing border security across land, riverine, and maritime spaces.

Phillips emphasised that these efforts require sustained investment, particularly in training and education.
“The National Defence Institute and this certificate in defence studies represent a long-term investment in human capital, because while technology will continue to evolve, it is the quality of our people that will determine how effectively we use it,” he added.
He further warned that global instability, from wars and displacement to misinformation and climate-related threats, demands a forward-looking and unified approach to national defence.
“Security threats are not always visible, and they rarely follow traditional patterns… these realities demand a different kind of response, one that is informed, coordinated and forward-looking,” Phillips said.