While the discourse around artificial intelligence (AI) has coincided with concerns regarding bias — especially as it pertains to the Black community — Microsoft has taken this opportunity for growth by helping showcase how technology can enhance one’s entrepreneurial journey. Microsoft tapped social media star Keith Lee to help demonstrate how AI can empower Black entrepreneurs, providing tools and insights to navigate and thrive in an increasingly tech-driven business landscape.
During the AFROTECH™ Conference 2024, the technology company purposefully hosted an activation in Houston, creating a space for tech experts, enthusiasts, and everyone in between to explore its offerings in the AI landscape. Central to this experience was Microsoft Copilot—a suite of AI-powered tools seamlessly integrated into the company’s products, designed to assist users with tasks ranging from everyday workflows to managing the complexities of running a restaurant, which is where Lee’s expertise came into play.
Lee, his wife, and other family members were joined at an intimate Black TechXcellence Brunch as an extension of The Reheat partnership launched between Lee and Microsoft earlier this year. The program connected Lee with the Black restaurateurs he spotlighted during his renowned multi-city food tours, aiming to demonstrate how AI tools like Copilot can drive the operational efficiency necessary for sustaining their businesses in the wake of the Keith Lee effect.
“We always say at Microsoft, our entire mission is to empower everyone into doing whatever they want to do, their dreams, their aspirations,” Senior Communications Manager of Multicultural Communications Makeda Bell told AFROTECH™ during the brunch.
“I think we have seen time and time again what happens when people get access to the right technology and match it with their creativity, with their passions,” she continued. “And I think when you think about the diversity that is at AFROTECH™, the number of people that are in rooms, that are looking to be founders, that are creators, that are business people, being able to show up in a place like that, providing them with new knowledge and new tools, and doing that on the ground, being able to be intentional, doing it in person… we know the standing effects that it can have, and that’s beyond AFROTECH™, but I think we just see it here as like a straightforward way for us to get in front of them and be a part of our mission statement of empowerment, bringing it to them in real-time.”
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In this instance, some of the individuals they connected with were from the Houston community, as the brunch featured dishes from local restaurants previously highlighted during Lee’s food review stops in the vibrant Lone Star State.
These establishments included The Puddery, Cool Runnings, and the Houston Breakfast Klub, where each owner received a hands-on tutorial on leveraging AI technology to scale and grow their businesses. The tools also offered solutions to help them navigate the heightened demands that often arise after going viral, courtesy of the Keith Lee effect.
“I am fortunate to have a trusted platform that helps local businesses across the country to grow,” said Lee. “Knowing that Black-owned businesses often struggle to stay afloat or keep up with demand, I’m excited to continue my partnership with Microsoft to give them the tools to keep their businesses thriving for years to come.”
At one point during the brunch, The Puddery founder, Janel Prator, was brought to tears. She used the moment to personally thank Lee and his family for making her dessert shop go viral shortly before she prepared to close up shop due to business decline.
“It starts with moments like these,” said Bell, describing the warm interaction between Lee and Prator. “I think hearing Janel say thank you to Keith Lee, but also thank you to Microsoft for sharing her story, for getting her in the room, speaks to how it’s on companies like ours to not only just rely on creators, but also these stories that we are hearing and that we are finding. It’s on us to give them our platforms, to share their voices more, to give them even more opportunities and grow beyond that.”
“But I think, of course, just looking at our tools, I’ll start with Copilot. It’s our main thing. And I know we’ve discussed that tool as a game-changer. I think for people who just a lot of times have that blank slate, whether you’re a business owner, weather you are a mom who you know is trying to plan a day for your kids or a vacation, copilot is that just everyday companion that can support you from that blank piece of paper to getting you inspired to jolting you into whatever train of thoughts it is that you’re looking for and helping you get to that next stage.”
Looking to attend the AFROTECH™ Conference 2025? Secure your early bird tickets now — Oct. 27 – 31, 2025, in Houston, TX.
