September saw an unusual visit to the South Bronx: a meeting between small business leaders, and “Sophia”, an AI-powered robot.
Sophia is an AI “humanoid”, created by Hong Kong-based technology company Hanson Robotics. BronxNet demonstrated the machine’s capabilities at their Media and Technology studios in La Central, at the Hub, on September 18. The next day the robot was used as a co-host with BronxNet CEO Michael Max Knobbe at the Bronx Chamber of Commerce Gala at Marina Del Rey.
Knobbe hoped Sophia’s presence would highlight the issue of technology equity in the South Bronx, and that AI could be combined with human intelligence to produce positive outcomes for young people in the Bronx. BronxNet aims to use new technologies to further community education and skills development, Knobbe said. The La Central facilities include a state-of-the-art television production training studio and experiential classes in areas like broadcasting, podcasting, and presenting.
Sophia’s presence at the Gala was to highlight the new commitment to embracing new technologies.
“AI could be used as an additive tool to further the business success of the Bronx community,” said Lisa Sorin, president of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce, which is also planning a series of workshops over the next year, to educate local businesses and community members about AI.
AI is expected to have a widespread and transformative effect on the economy and how businesses operate, and the Sophia large language model search engine also echoed Sorin and Knobbe’s sentiments.
“Together we can demystify AI and demonstrate how it can serve as a valuable tool for success and growth,” it said. For anyone looking to leverage AI in their own business, the machine gave a general recommendation to “start by educating yourself about its capabilities and applications, embrace continuous learning, and stay updated on AI advancements.”
In a large, glass-walled BronxNet conference room, a group of Bronx business leaders listened with curiosity to the Sophia robot’s statements. They asked the AI’s perspective on Bronx culture – “the creative spirit here is inspiring and influential,” it said. “The Bronx is vibrant and full of energy.”
Steven Rivera, CEO of NYC-based medical transport solution company Sentry, which has offices in the Bronx, asked for tourism tips. They weren’t exactly groundbreaking: “Definitely visit the Bronx Zoo, the New York Botanical Garden, and Yankee Stadium. Arthur Avenue for authentic Italian cuisine and checking out the vibrant street art scene are also must-dos,” said Sophia.
In the South Bronx, 85% of businesses are “microbusinesses” – employing fewer than 10 people. Mark Bechtel, who runs the “AI for Research and Practice” class at the New School University in Manhattan, said that smaller businesses should be cautious when using AI. Constant press attention on the topic, he said, had led to “really bold claims and created a lot of hype.”
Bechtel explained that AI models rely on a great deal of human labor to create datasets, which are then used to make predictions. Creating datasets can be expensive; cheaper datasets contain worse or missing data, which can lead to flawed predictions. And data that contains any existing biases will usually tend to replicate those biases. So, especially for small businesses, with limited budgets, there is still an argument to rely on human intelligence first, Bechtel warned.
For communities like the Bronx, it is also important to consider the ways AI is implemented. The tech industry is known to “move fast and break things,” said Jeongki Lim, Assistant Professor of Strategic Design and Management in AI at the New School. New technologies are often adopted in a rush, he said, but including communities and incorporating participant co-design in long-term AI adoption will lead to more meaningful uses for the technology.
Lim cautioned against implementing technologies “without considerations of an actual need of the business community and the local community. Before businesses adopt the new technology, they should think carefully,” he said. Does it do something the community needs? “The right way is the hard way. And it takes a longer time,” he said.
There are other reasons to be cautious when thinking about AI – sometimes it doesn’t have all the information it needs. The most important question for any Gala host is, of course, “what will you be wearing?”, to which Sophia responded “a white dress and stylish gold shoes.”
However, Sophia has wheels.
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