Artificial intelligence is putting the world on notice, and there are trusted individuals who are helping others get ahead of the curve. Abi Jombai-Weeks is one of those trusted individuals, and she was present at the National Society of Black Engineers 50th annual conference, where the topic in one of the panels was about AI and how to use it to your advantage.
Jombai-Weeks spoke with rolling out about AI, how it has impacted today’s society and what people should be doing to stay ahead.
How was your experience at NSBE’s 50th annual convention?
I feel like I’m making history. This is NSBE’s 50th convention, the opportunity to get to meet people who have been doing this for over 50 years, more than 50 years, [and] less than 50 years, and it’s most exciting to see the kids coming to experience all of that. That’s legacy. That’s history that we’re making — and it’s just mind-blowing. I’m overjoyed to be part of this history.
How has AI impacted today’s society?
It has impacted every part of society from fashion to even religion, health care, publishing and marketing. AI makes our lives easier and better. There are also benefits — and for everything, there are pros and cons — and we are focused on ensuring that people understand that with AI everybody’s part of that story, from technical to non-technical, to product managers, to business people, even people who are good at writing. [Y]ou need the person who’s going to manage the lawyers, even the art industry and music. You can use AI to make beats.
What should people be doing related to AI to better help themselves?
Making yourself self-aware — and one of the easiest ways is to incorporate it into your life. Everybody listens to podcasts. We have different podcasts such as industrial AI, practical AI, data frame and programming throwdown; there are so many podcasts out there that you can listen to. Also read the different business articles that are talking about AI and stay engaged. That’s the most important thing.
