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Seasoned tech executive Omar Johnson is leveraging his experience to revolutionize how brands market themselves. Raised in Brooklyn, NY, Johnson’s exposure to technology was initially limited to video games and consumer electronics. However, his inquisitiveness grew and ultimately helped him secure roles with major tech giants. “A lot of my curiosity was sort of like self-driven,” he told AFROTECH™ in an interview. Tech Journey Johnson’s interests also lay in marketing, leading him to earn an MBA from Emory University in 2004. Following a brief stint at Campbell Soup Company as an associate brand manager, he transitioned to roles with brands such as Coca-Cola and Nike. At the latter, he began as an assistant brand manager before being promoted to content manager of advising and innovation, which remained his focus. “Find the most important things that the company is betting on for the future and work on those things,” Johnson explained. “I always had that sort of lean when I was at...
Google has allocated a grant to support artificial intelligence learning at an HBCU. The nation’s first HBCU AI Institute is coming to NC Central University. CBS17 reports the university will open the Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Equity Research. The groundbreaking institute aims to explore the intersection of artificial intelligence and social equity, focusing on addressing systemic disparities and fostering innovation through a lens of inclusivity and diversity. “Our purpose is clear to innovate, inspire and shape the next generation of leaders in artificial intelligence,” NCCU Chancellor Karrie Dixon said, according to CBS 17. The institute is expected to benefit 200 students with mentorship and research opportunities. Additionally, it will place NCUU as “the leading hub for AI within the HBCU network, advancing diversity, inclusion and equitable representation of AI-related industries,” the school notes , according to Qcitymetro. “[This is] the first program of its...
50 Cent has recently received technology advice from fellow studio owner Tyler Perry. In 2008, Perry, a self-made billionaire , made history when he opened the first major Black-owned film studio. The 330-acre studio, located at a former Confederate Army base in Atlanta, GA, features 12 sound stages that are available to rent. These are accompanied by various staged sets, such as baseball fields, a chapel, a bank, a county jail, a coffee shop, an oval office, and a theatre, among others, as AFROTECH™ previously mentioned. It’s no surprise that Perry’s recent projects, including “The Six Triple Eight,” “Beauty in Black,” and “All the Queen’s Men,” have been filmed at this groundbreaking facility. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tyler Perry Studios (@tylerperrystudios) In 2024, Tyler Perry has been offering words of wisdom to rapper and entrepreneur 50 Cent, whose television empire continues to thrive. Since launching G-Unit Studios in Shreveport, LA, in April of this...
Shaboozey is hopeful about artificial intelligence (AI). The country artist has had quite the year. He was first featured on Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” album, collaborating on the songs “Spaghettii” and “Sweet Honey Buckiin.” “It’s just so surreal and humbling for me for them to choose me to be a part of the album,” he expressed to Forbes in an interview. Shortly after the launch of “Cowboy Carter,” Shaboozey teased “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” which officially launched April 12, 2024. It became a Grammy-nominated single and earned the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for 19 consecutive weeks, according to Forbes. What’s more, it garnered 2 billion streams and earned over $10 million. “I feel great. Dream come true. I can’t complain,” he told the outlet. Catch Shaboozey on Dec. 4 during Art Basel in Miami, FL, as well. He’ll be among the performers for an exclusive event hosted by Capital One and The Cultivist to amplify artist Hassan Hajjaj and his installation DAR MIAMI 1446. As part of...
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...
A startup dedicated to preserving African languages has secured new funding. Founded in 2022 and backed by Techstars, Lingawa was established by siblings Frank Akinwande Williams (CEO) and Yvonne Williams (COO), along with third co-founder Uche Azinge (CTO). Previously operating under the name TopSet, its inception was driven by Frank’s and Yvonne’s difficulties in learning their native language, Yoruba. “As Nigerians growing up in the UK, my sister Yvonne W and I always felt a deep connection to our heritage—but also an uncomfortable distance. We struggled to speak our native tongue, Yoruba, fluently, and with that came a sense of loss and even shame,” Williams said on LinkedIn. “There’s an unspoken belief that understanding your language is tied to understanding yourself, your culture, and your place in the world. It was a feeling we carried with us for years.” He continued, “As we grew older, we realized that this experience wasn’t unique to us. Millions of Africans, Asians, and...
Students can now lean into Google’s AI assistant for college application readiness. According to a blog post from Google, it has launched Gemini to streamline tasks for users such as researching new topics, providing advice, planning events, and generating ideas. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Google Gemini app (@googlegemini) It can be connected to apps such as Gmail, Google Calendar, Maps, and YouTube and is available in English and Spanish, with the company planning to expand to additional languages. The feature is also a helpful tool for those who are looking for guidance as they prepare for the college admission process, and particularly first-generation college students. According to Reality Changers, these students often do not receive college readiness or familial guidance and have less financial stability. This could later result in lower self-esteem and make the transition to college more difficult. “The college application process can be daunting: There is...
A bachelor’s degree in artificial intelligence will be taught at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. The Triad Business Journal reports this is the only AI degree program at the Historically Black College and University (HBCU), and it has been approved by the UNC System Board of Governors. North Carolina A&T, the largest HBCU in the world, plans to enroll the first cohort of students in the fall of 2025. The program will be available both on-campus and online, as reported by WFMY-2 News. “Artificial intelligence and machine learning are increasingly part of everyday life with the potential for profound and far-reaching impact on virtually every facet of society,” said Chancellor James Martin II, according to The Triad Business Journal. “Our new bachelor’s degree will prepare students for immediate impact, especially in the critical area of human interaction with AI.” Students planning to enroll can expect the degree to launch with concentrations in advanced...
Whether you’re a founder, an entrepreneur with a startup idea, or a creative with plenty of ideas, Kapor Capital’s Cliff Worley is dedicated to helping you harness the power of artificial intelligence to bring your vision to life. During AFROTECH™ Conference 2024, Worley took to one of the executive stages to share insights on AI tools that help him remain successful in his industry. Additionally, he gave attendees various resources available to them at the tap of a button. “I’ve been speaking all around the world on AI. Last year, I got to speak on stage with Sam Altman,” Worley told attendees. “I believe that AI is going to make all those entrepreneurs if you’ve ever had that idea that you’ve always wanted to build, now is the time to do it. There’s a lot of tools out there that can help you build.” He also spoke about the rise of artificial intelligence as we know it. Contrary to popular belief, AI is not new — it has simply evolved. AI technology had its beginnings in 1950. When...
Nothing is more significant in this life than the love of a mother. Renowned musician will.i.am took a moment to shed light on how his mother’s sacrifices led to his success today during the AFROTECH™ 2024 Conference, Nov. 13-16. The innovative producer, visionary artist, and founding member of the Grammy Award-winning music group Black Eyed Peas opened up about his humble beginnings in a session on the main stage titled “CollaborA(I)te: Empowering Creative Connections.” “I remember my mom was like, ‘Wait, put your clothes on. You go up here to get our food stamps. Sit in this line to get this cheese.’ When you’re in the projects, and that’s your reality, standing in line to get government services, and you’re there and you’ve got dreams and you’re like one day, I want to move my mama out of these projfts, and you come outside, and your best friend that you grew up with is no longer with you because he got shot and you want to dream different — that’s where I get ambition from.”...
An observation Amber Hill made as a medical researcher jumpstarted her founder journey. In conversation with TechCrunch, Hill notes that she found manual administrative tasks tedious and felt that the time could have been put to better use. “I was spending so much time doing manual tasks that didn’t require any medical expertise. It’s a process that’s completely broken, and I knew it could be fixed,” she told the outlet. In 2020, Hill launched London, England-based Research Grid. The artificial intelligence (AI)-driven platform is intended to increase efficiency in clinical trials by automating manual processes, its website mentions. It currently offers two products: Inclusive and Trial Engine. Inclusive is described as a “community engagement sourcing and management platform” to support early trials through smart automations and patient engagement. This feature has grown a network of over 300 million patients across at least 90,000 communities. Its second product is Trial Engine, a...
Highlighting bias in artificial intelligence (AI) is essential, but equally important is educating people on ways to prevent it. In 2019, Salesforce established its Trusted AI Principles to address the ethical implications of predictive AI and machine learning. By 2023, with the rapid evolution of generative AI, Salesforce deepened its commitment to responsible AI by participating in the AFROTECH™ Conference, where it discussed strategies for prioritizing ethical and inclusive practices in generative AI. During the session, “ Closing The AI Trust Gap: Battling Bias | Presented by Salesforce,” Jackie Chambers de Freitas, Vice President of Agile Delivery and Coaching at Salesforce, shared how Salesforce’s focus on AI began in 2014, when CEO Marc Benioff declared that the company would become an AI-first company. Watch the session here via AFROTECH™ Labs. View this post on Instagram A post shared by AFROTECH (@afro.tech) “The goal was to transform Salesforce into an intelligent...
The special thing about AFROTECH™ Conference is that even as new people are introduced to it each year, there are also those who have been there since the beginning in 2016. The “OGs” of the conference have not only seen AFROTECH™ grow but have also experienced their own development over the years. Among those who jumped on board since the inaugural conference in San Francisco, CA, is Ruben Harris, CEO of Career Karma and OutRival. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ruben A. Harris (@rubenharris) Harris’ work is centered on education and career placement, helping people and organizations connect with top talent while simplifying workflow and integrating efficient models through technology and AI. The admissions teams at Career Karma use OutRival’s technology to create conversational AI agents to serve millions of people a month who visit the site for career advice. Currently, OutRival owns Career Karma, and Harris is the leader of both entities. Because of his emerging...
HBCU alum Dr. Anthony Harris is leading the future of medicine at Amazon. From An HBCU To Disrupting The Medical Space Dr. Harris, a 2002 graduate of Florida A&M University with Senegal roots, had early intentions of improving the healthcare industry. According to information shared with AFROTECH™, he even filed his first patent, a biomedical device, while in college. Upon receiving his undergraduate degree, he transitioned to a five-year dual degree program at Indiana University, obtaining a doctor of medicine degree and an MBA, his LinkedIn mentions. He also wore the hat of student body president at the university, becoming the first Black individual in this post. Harris’ early career trajectory led him to work in general surgery for 10 months, and then he pivoted into entrepreneurship. 2009 marked the launch of one of his first companies, Adroit Motion, which offered an articulating hand instrument with ergonomic hand control for minimally invasive surgery. That same year,...
Super Micro Computer’s ( SMCI ) stock dropped nearly 30% on Wednesday, Oct. 30, after the AI server maker’s auditor resigned. Ernst & Young (EY) resigned while auditing Super Micro’s fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, according to Yahoo Finance. The move comes after Hindenburg Research released a brief report in August alleging “accounting manipulation” at Super Micro. “We are resigning due to information that has recently come to our attention, which has led us to no longer be able to rely on management’s and the Audit Committee’s representations and to be unwilling to be associated with the financial statements prepared by management,” EY stated in its resignation letter. The accounting firm added that it can no longer provide audit services in compliance with “applicable laws or professional obligations.” In August, Hindenburg stated that its three-month investigation uncovered “glaring accounting red flags, evidence of undisclosed related party transactions, sanctions and export...