Building AI Literacy At HBCUs Can Help Future-Proof Black Families
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Posted By: Reginald Culpepper on February 02, 2024 by Christine Michel Carter, Senior Contributor, Forbes Generative AI, or gen AI, can potentially exacerbate the racial economic gap in the U.S. by a staggering $43 billion annually, according to McKinsey research last December. Black households only make 38 cents of every dollar of new household wealth, and the consequence of the racial economic gap is an intensified struggle for financial security, reduced opportunities for wealth accumulation, and heightened economic challenges for Black households striving to achieve stability and upward mobility. This technological advancement, while promising in various sectors, poses challenges that could disproportionately affect job opportunities for students at historically Black colleges and universities and, consequently, impact the future prosperity of Black families. Dr. Matthew M. DeForrest, an interim director and professor at North Carolina’s Johnson C. Smith University, underscores the potential for gen AI to magnify existing marginalization if models are trained with historical biases. He notes that businesses in predominantly Black neighborhoods may be overlooked by AI models that perpetuate redlining practices, limiting the opportunities for recent HBCU graduates. “Businesses in predominantly Black neighborhoods are less likely to be found by companies who have trained their AI models in a manner that redlines those spaces. It can also artificially limit the horizon of a recent HBCU graduate by replicating past limitations and not seeking out new opportunities in new spaces,” says Dr. DeForrest. To counteract this, Johnson C. Smith University is collaborating with major tech companies, aiming to ensure that their graduates bring diverse experiences to the workforce. Providing a personal perspective, Alton Mosely, the cybersecurity tech coordinator for Benedict College in South Carolina, emphasizes the transformative potential of AI in addressing disparities in education, homeownership, credit, and more. “AI could truly revolutionize the disparity between whites and Blacks in areas such as education, homeownership, credit, and more. However, the gen AI readiness of Black Americans is extremely low. Many of us come from parents who are not tech-savvy, live in internet deserts, and face financial implications due to the inability to participate in certain tech initiatives in the community.” Continue reading more HERE. Original Article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinecart... If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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Reginald Culpepper
President, Fulfillment and Web Services, HBCUCONNECT Clark Atlanta University class of 1998 Member Since September 2000 |
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