Inspire AI: Transforming RVA Through Technology and Automation
Our mission is to cultivate AI literacy in the Greater Richmond Region through awareness, community engagement, education, and advocacy. In this podcast, we spotlight companies and individuals in the region who are pioneering the development and use of AI.
Inspire AI: Transforming RVA Through Technology and Automation
Ep 7 - Integrating AI with Purpose: Ida Pierce on Ethical Innovations and Empowering Small Businesses
Explore the inspiring journey of Ida Pierce, the innovative force behind Pierce Creative & Consulting, as she shares her transformative approach to integrating artificial intelligence with purpose. Learn how Ida's extensive background in business analysis, program management, and change management has allowed her to craft strategies that empower both individuals and organizations. Her commitment to blending technology with human-centered values shines in her work with the Dominion Energy Innovation Center, accelerating clean energy innovation at the intersection of energy and AI.
Discover the complexities of AI ethics and governance, where technology's dual nature presents both opportunities and challenges. We discuss the CLEAR framework, a method Ida advocates for maintaining oversight and ethical standards in AI applications. Human oversight, emotional intelligence, and critical thinking are crucial as we navigate concerns about environmental impacts, biases, and the broader implications of AI on society. This dialogue emphasizes the importance of education and awareness, ensuring AI enhances human expertise without ethical compromise.
Empowering small business owners through AI takes center stage, highlighting the critical role of addressing bias to foster inclusivity and professional development. As AI tools evolve, understanding their impact on employees and consumers becomes essential. We champion AI literacy, responsible governance, and the power of community engagement, urging listeners to connect with groups like AI Ready RVA. As we conclude, we express gratitude to Ida for her invaluable insights and encourage our audience to stay connected and informed on the latest AI developments.
Welcome RVA to Inspire AI, where we spotlight companies and individuals in the region who are pioneering the development and use of artificial intelligence. I'm Jason McGinty from AI Ready RVA. At AI Ready RVA, our mission is to cultivate AI literacy in the greater Richmond region through awareness, community engagement, education and advocacy. Today's episode is made possible by Modern Ancients driving innovation with purpose. Modern Ancients uses AI and strategic insight to help businesses create lasting, positive change with their unique journey consulting practice. Find out more about how your business can grow at modernagentscom. And thanks to our listeners for tuning in today. If you or your company would like to be featured in the Inspire AI Richmond episode, please drop us a message. Don't forget to like, share or follow our content and stay up to date on the latest events for AI Ready RVA.
Speaker 1:In today's episode, I'm excited to introduce our guest, ida Pierce, a dynamic leader who blends innovation and purpose in her work. As the founder and CEO of Pierce Creative and Consulting, ida partners with individuals and mission-driven organizations to enhance employee experiences, foster inclusive learning and integrate AI into strategies that empower people and improve processes. With a rich background in program, project and change management, process improvement, employee experience and board leadership, she has led technology teams tasked with the implementation of emerging innovative technologies like robotic process automation and AI tools. Ida is passionate about creating workplaces that prioritize safety, belonging and human experiences. She facilitates workshops and learning experiences that capture the essence of innovation, inclusivity and transformative growth. Please join me in welcoming Ida to the show.
Speaker 2:Hi Jason.
Speaker 1:Awesome Ida. Thanks for joining us today. I'd like to start our audience off with tell us a little bit about your background and how did you come to work in this field.
Speaker 2:Well, first, thanks for having me.
Speaker 2:It's been a while since I've recorded a podcast episode, so this is pretty cool to join and to talk about some of the things that I'm interested in and that I love.
Speaker 2:So you know I've always been passionate about helping organizations and individuals unlock their potential, and so earlier in my career, I worked as a business analyst and I was contributing to teams delivering on software solutions anywhere from workflows and task driven automation and a great deal of change management in that role. So over time, like I contributed to data and analytics team outcomes and I learned a lot about data and operational reporting, but machine learning and natural language processing, as well as robotic process automation, as you mentioned. So I realized in that work that meaningful change happens when you align business strategies with people-centered values and especially when you're deploying technical solutions across, like these really large organizations or large enterprises. And that realization, along with my interest in innovation and emerging technologies, led to me founding my own consulting business, pierce Creative and Consulting, where I focus on blending employee experience you know a little of that experience design, which is another area in my background, as well as leadership training and AI solutions that help to drive some of these transformative results that we see and come to learn about.
Speaker 1:Outstanding. It's definitely inspiring to hear how your career evolved, and so naturally toward aligning technology and human-centered values. That's an impactful combination.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's been. Every time I sit and reflect on it. It has been a journey and I think, while you know, maybe this resonates for some people when you're in your career and you're navigating in these different roles and these opportunities are presenting themselves to you like you don't think about it in that way, but you know, for me, I've gotten to a point where I reflect on on those things quite often and yeah, it it is. It has evolved in a way that it has allowed me to recognize where my value system shows up and where I show up as a leader and a contributor, and and so I'm happy to to know that, know that I'm still navigating and moving in that direction, and my love for emerging technology and innovation of itself is a big part of that. Sure.
Speaker 1:Well, let's go with that. Can you tell us a little bit about your current work and how you've integrated AI into your daily operations?
Speaker 2:Okay, so you know, as a consultant like yeah absolutely.
Speaker 2:I leverage AI in various ways, but I'm also like a very, you know, I feel like I need to research, I need to study, I need to put myself in a position where I'm learning, because that's a big part of my value system. Again, it's not only growth for myself but, like I always like to give that back. And so, you know, as a consultant, I leverage AI through, you know, I use generative AI to support some content creation that I might have to do for my business. I use it to brainstorm various strategies around, not only how I work with others, like my clients, but for things that I do as an entrepreneur, and I use it to develop training and incubation programs. I use AI, or generative AI, for data analysis, helping me identify trends and even measure, like, the impact of some of those initiatives that I might be working on. And I also work with clients to develop AI literacy and governance strategies, ensuring that, like, not only are we like confident about how we're using those tools within certain organizations or within certain systems, but that we are doing it in an ethical way, ethical and responsible way. I also have to mention, like, another side of the work that I do as a consultant, I contribute to building like this robust ecosystem that supports climate tech startups and entrepreneurs, ensuring that they have the resources, the expertise, the mentorship that they need to succeed.
Speaker 2:And so, at Dominion Energy Innovation Center, you know, I play a role within that great team of people where I am helping to work with or build programs and work with these startup companies in accelerating clean energy innovation while fostering, like, that intersection of energy and artificial intelligence.
Speaker 2:And so, like the center itself D-E-I-C we call it it assists startups in tackling the challenges like energy efficiency and data centers, grid infrastructure optimization or grid modernization, you know, and the integration of renewable energy into, like, transmission systems and, just, you know, all of these things that really speak to, like the intersection of, like, how we are innovating technologies around supporting our environment and reducing some of the impact that, even when we have conversations around AI and what some of the potential impacts of AI on the grid is right, and how can we continue to bring in companies that are creating these innovative technologies and these innovative responses to what those impacts are to help us to continue to take advantage of this technological revolution but also do it in a really responsible way for the future of our society.
Speaker 2:Our society Like these, the and these improvements are just really essential for building a more resilient and sustainable energy future. And that is, you know, that future is growing. It's growing the influence of AI and it has the potential to just really profoundly shape, you know, just that whole conversation and so, as a consultant, like I feel really honored to be able to work on both sides of that equation. And you know, moving into entrepreneurship, that was one of my goals was to be able to say what are the things that I care about and you know what is the full scope of the impact of those things that I care about. And so working with Dominion Energy Innovation Center has just been like icing on my little cupcake.
Speaker 2:But you know yeah, the other thing is, like you know, we're all multi-talented folks out here, right? Like we have passions and hobbies and skills that we bring to the table, we bring into our workplaces, we bring into just how we live our lives, and so another place where AI comes up in my circles, our community and in the entrepreneurship spaces that I find myself in, and so I am a part-time loctician. It is something that I do part-time and I love it. It brings me a great sense of joy to connect with people in the community like educators, lawyers, students, nurses, like we have all types of people coming through and I get the chance to love on them and use another talent that I have. But when I'm in those spaces, like you know, we talk about everything. You know, we communicate with one another and we build community with one another, and one of the things that comes up is you know, the things that are in the news, the current events, and AI is a big topic and we all talk about it, and so I get to hear these perspectives from people who are in, you know, in spaces that I have. No, you know, I maybe navigate those spaces personally when I go to the doctor or when I'm, you know, you know working with my students as a parent or something like that. But you know we have these conversations around AI and the things that are happening, and you know I hear people's concerns and apprehensions about it. I hear you know that we need more knowledge and that we to build more awareness around all aspects of these tools. So shout out to Natural Elegance Hair Care Studio right here in our great city of Richmond, virginia. That's where I spend some time there.
Speaker 2:And then the other thing I'll point out just as a community leader, I'm exposed to the needs of nonprofit organizations and I think about how AI tools can help supplement the work and the processes to help these organizations expand their impact and support their staff and the resources that they have, and so support their staff and the resources that they have. And so, you know, as a board member, I'm a board member for AI Ready RVA. This organization is, you know, I'm passionate about the work that the organization is doing around AI literacy, around bringing groups together to continue the conversation and to continue the learning and the awareness building and what that means, not just for our region in us, but how to keep our families safe and how do we use these tools in ways that, when they're implemented within organizations, we're doing it with the people in mind, right? So some of the organizations that are also that I'm, some of the non-profit organizations that I'm also part of or think deeply about, is Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities.
Speaker 2:I'm the board chair for the Richmond chapter and you know I think about the work that that organization is doing and how these tools might integrate and help as well as Leadership Metro Richmond. I graduated from that program last year and congratulations, thank you so much. One of the questions that always comes up for me that I'm always thinking about is now, now that I have this learning and this deeper kind of understanding of the needs of our region, like, what can I as an individual do to give back? And so, like AI Ready, rva and AI literacy, right, how do? How can I serve, just as an individual, to move forward the mission of these organizations that I love?
Speaker 1:Yeah Well, you're doing so much. I don't think anybody could ask you to do more than what you're already doing, but I definitely love your multifaceted approach, from climate tech to community impact All across the board, you're making an impact and it's clear that your desire to use AI to make a meaningful difference, and I think we're all headed in that direction as well, so thank you for leading the way. What's next? Let's talk about your take on how AI is helping workers to be more efficient and effective rather than replacing them. What's your thoughts there?
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know, I spent a little bit of time leading a team in the employee experience space and it has been something that, like you know, throughout my career, I kind of gravitated to a role like that, right. And so one of the things that stands out to me and how I can help workers be more efficient and effective, like I see, I see that the tool that is AI as an enabler. You know, I force myself to read a little deeper and to carve out time to, like, really understand well, what is this saying and what is the true impact of this, and how can I, as an individual, not only navigate that but then, as a community builder, as a leader in the work that I do, how do I now, you know, really acknowledge that those fears and those apprehensions exist? And then, how do I then, you know, what role can I play in this?
Speaker 2:And so, you know, on one hand, ai can take repetitive tasks and free up employees to focus on more creative, strategic or human-centered work, and I truly believe it's about amplifying our capabilities rather than replacing them but also, like, there is some argument that can be made, like with any tool, when any technology gets into the hands of, maybe someone who does not prioritize what is the impact to the human, what is the impact to certain areas, like there's a risk there, right. And so AI governance becomes always becomes like a big part of my study and my research and messaging. So, you know, I believe that AI can help employees draft ideas and manage workflows, but I wholeheartedly believe that it still requires human oversight, emotional intelligence, critical thinking around decision-making, right, and so I think the key is to approach AI as a tool that complements, not competes with human expertise. So, you know, I'll also say that, like, worry is not always bad and I'm just one person with one perspective Get you motivated.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I mean I could be wrong about some of these things too, right, but I believe that education and awareness is critical to helping us shape the future for our children, for the next generation, for our workforce, and informing our decisions, like who we elect and how we choose to participate in democracy and capitalism, is a key driver of that.
Speaker 1:Yes, yeah, you brought out super important perspectives. Seeing AI as a complement to human skills rather than a threat is, I think, top of mind for many of our business leaders in these organizations right now, and I think a big part of that is our role at AI Ready RVA.
Speaker 2:Absolutely.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So when using AI tools, what is the process for ensuring it isn't saying or doing something that you don't want it to do? Yeah you know, I've thought about.
Speaker 2:You know there are, depending on what environment you find yourself in, right like, there are these frameworks that come to mind or ways that you can kind of address making sure that you are providing some governance or ethical or responsible use around these tools. So I like to rely on a governance framework like quality control when I'm personally using these tools, and it includes just like setting clear parameters for the inputs and outputs, reviewing the suggestions that AI might make critically so there's some critical thinking there and really testing some of the outputs that I'm receiving, some of that help that I'm getting from this tool. So I like to emphasize transparency, making sure that I understand where the data is coming from. I think about biases that might exist in that data data and you know, I know that AI provides a starting point for me, but, like I am the leader, I'm the one who has the experience, I'm the one who needs to kind of you know, understand. All right, this is a set of information that can get me started, give me ideas, give me, get me unstuck in some way. But also, like, from what I know about my area of expertise or my areas of expertise that I'm using or that I'm providing to AI. Is it relevant, is it accurate, is it safe? Am I respecting privacy and boundaries and all of those things?
Speaker 2:I'm going to look critically. I'm going to review any of the AI-generated outputs carefully to again look are there biases, are there errors, are there any inconsistencies? That I'm recognizing the E in the word clear. I would evaluate some of the sources right, so I want to understand where that data is coming from and again recognize any potential biases that might exist there within Audit regularly so that's the A Test and monitor those AI outputs for quality, for ethical standards, and then the R refine, refine, refine. I want to remember always that AI is a partner for me, not a replacement. I am going to always have that human touch for context and for meaningful decision making. Again, I'm relying on my you know the knowledge that I have from my areas of expertise, from my career, from my experiences, and I'm putting those, as well as the things that you know I might be generating from some of these AI tools, together to form one answer, one strategy, one you know thought or one piece of context around what I might be delivering and using these tools for.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I love frameworks that I can remember through acronyms. Clear sounds like it definitely reinforces the importance of maintaining human oversight and ethical standards Many things that you care deeply about.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. There's probably others right Like there may be even things that you know I've missed here. This is what I try to do and how I use those tools. But again, you know, when we go into other spaces, like if we're looking at teams or within corporate spaces or environments, even if we're looking at community work and how we might be approaching some of those things, I'm sure that there are other things that can go into a framework like this.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what risk concerns did you consider and how did you overcome them?
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know I always think about environmental impacts. Again, working with Dominion Energy Innovation Center, that's helped me quite a bit. Energy Innovation Center that that's helped me quite a bit just kind of understand a little bit more. Dig deeper in my my area of knowledge when it comes to AI and the environmental impacts. I think about bias. You know my value system, my experience.
Speaker 2:Some of the non-profit organizations, like Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities that I work with you know, or that I sit on the board with, you know that that's a big part of like who I am and so it's a big part of how I think about. You know the impacts of some of the tools that I'm using or some of the spaces that I operate. In Data privacy, I've had the pleasure of working adjacent to teams and really knowledgeable people, and so data has been a part of my career, so I understand that aspect of these AI tools and how to think about data in ways that maybe we don't always consider. I'm one of the people that reads the terms and conditions, jason oh my goodness.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I used to be ashamed to say that, but I actually do read the terms and conditions, which takes a lot of time.
Speaker 1:You shouldn't be ashamed of that. I wish I could. You're right, honestly, you know what.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you're right, I shouldn't be ashamed of it. I don't think any of us should be and I think we should At all. Yeah, to do stuff like that and just like really recognize, like when we sign up, when we, you know, download an app like what.
Speaker 1:Really accessing. Yeah, exactly. What are they doing with my information?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah. What do they plan to do next?
Speaker 2:Yeah, and then, you know, the other thing I think about is just over relying on tools like chat, gpt, right, like when I first discovered it, I was like, whoa, this is cool, like I can do all the things right and still can do a lot of the things. But I think I, you know, I also have to check myself, like is am I beginning to over-rely on a tool like this outside of some of the other things, other skills that I might have and things like that? So those are the things that I consider, you know, I think, to address bias, like I like to incorporate diverse perspectives into the data sets I use. I regularly audit some of the AI outputs for unintended consequences.
Speaker 2:For the privacy piece I prioritize, like platforms that are secure, I try to educate myself and my clients about protecting sensitive data. If I'm going out speaking about, you know, whether it be the foundations of AI, ai literacy, how we can incorporate AI into some of the strategies that we have for programs, or, you know, employee experience type work, like you know, are we protecting sensitive data? Are we spending, you know, time looking at the privacy statements and reading the terms and conditions? You know I'll admit I haven't always done that, and so you know I endeavor to do a much better job of it and then just overcoming that. You know that over-reliance on tools like this it really it involves for me maintaining a healthy skepticism, while I'm really excited about what these tools can help us do and how they can help us get there, like you know, there is a healthy amount of skepticism that you know we just it again goes back to that critical thinking. Like you know, I want to make sure that, like, final decisions rest with humans and not not the machines.
Speaker 1:Yeah well, I have been a risk manager with my company for a long time in general not not the, not the proper title, but in but in general we're all risk managers. When you work for a financial institution, financial institution. And when I think about some of the lessons I've learned over the years, in managing my own personal finances.
Speaker 1:protecting my data and access to my data in terms of how can it be leveraged, I think is really important to anybody these days, because nobody wants to be a victim of identity theft or anything like that, you know, and they certainly don't want, you know, to be scammed financially and to be, you know, put in a hole or a hardship of any kind whatsoever. Like life is hard enough, so don't give the bad guys the opportunity to take advantage of you.
Speaker 1:That's just in general the way I like to live my life, so I keep a skeptic hat on at all times.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and you know I think about just like the impact to. You know, we we have worked or are currently working in these spaces, right where we we have access to the technology, we have a healthy amount of information and resources that we we look to. But like, what about the people who are no longer in the workforce, who are impacted by these?
Speaker 2:things like not directly using them, but maybe just as a result, as a consumer. You know, like I'm, you know, interacting with now, an agent or you know, or something like that, and you know, without the awareness or the understanding of what these tools are and what they're doing. And so, like you know, I tend to like my mind broadens to like my mother, who's now retired, or my father, who's retired, or my child who's coming up through the school system or who's a college student, like these are the things that constantly stay on my mind. And so, like, I think about, like what are those impacts beyond? You know someone who's spending a lot of time in these spaces or spending a lot of time with like-minded people around these tools and technologies. So, yeah, I think it's a fruitful conversation, but it's also like one of those things that like as an individual, like how can I not only work within this space but then expand that beyond?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think about how to protect my family members through this technology transformation of ours and realize that there are certain folks in the older generation that need far more support in this space than others. You know we all get pinged all the time email texts, phone calls, looking to get a buck from us one way or another, whether it's quality services, products they're selling or a scam. And everybody is susceptible to it, but some more than others. So I think that it's only going to make things even harder to deal with in that realm for the community that doesn't engage in these technologies on the regular and don't understand how to spot them when they occur, All right.
Speaker 1:So can you help me draw some correlations between AI ethics and DEI Diversity, equity and inclusion please?
Speaker 2:Oh, hot topic these days, isn't it? Yeah, I truly believe that it's deeply interconnected. I mean, dei is about removing barriers and ensuring that everyone has equal access to opportunities based on their talent and qualifications. You know, I think AI systems are only as fair as the data that they're trained on, which makes it critical to address biases in the design and implementation of these systems. Ethical AI practices ensure that technology does not perpetuate these inequalities. So, like a DEI focused approach amplifies diverse voices and experiences. It also ensures that these tools serve the good of humanity, right Like of all people.
Speaker 1:It's such a critical connection to make that you're speaking about, though. Addressing bias in AI is essential to creating truly inclusive future for us all.
Speaker 2:And we're going to keep on doing that work, whether we call it DEI or not, like at the end of the day, the day gonna end.
Speaker 2:But also, but also, you know, if I'm, if I'm completely honest with myself, you know, when I think about these topics, I want what's best for me and my family, and I believe that other people want what's best for them and the people that they love too. Right, and I believe that we all can work to not only use these tools but to make decisions for the good of all people if we're committed to doing that, if we're committed to holding space and spending time and being and prioritizing what that means. And so you know, it doesn't mean that we have to stop thinking about the other things, the bottom lines and the things that you know that the other drivers of our time and attention, but I think that we stand to do good in ways that include all of these things technology, environment, you know, we just we have an opportunity to prioritize what that means for us and, like who cares what the label is?
Speaker 1:Yeah, totally fair. Okay, let's bring it back to AI in the future. How do you see your industry specifically evolving over the next few years?
Speaker 2:Oh, I think we'll see AI become more personalized and more integrated into some of the decision making processes, like particularly in the professional development and the employee engagement spaces, hoping, or, if they're not already, tools that exist I'm still doing some research on this, but, like I'm hoping that we'll continue to see tools that, like prioritize or enhance learning paths right within organizations for you know that enhance the employee experience.
Speaker 2:So like predicting skill gaps and then creating some sort of plan to help upskill or reskill employees within an environment. You know, like fostering more inclusive cultures. I hope that will become more mainstream using some of these AI tools At the same time, like the demand for AI literacy and governance frameworks will grow as organizations realize like the importance of using AI responsibly and what the impact is on the the peoples within the organization yeah and and the people that consume their products and services so, for sure, yeah, it's.
Speaker 1:It's all connected, right. The potential is enormous when I think about how ai can foster both personal growth and inclusivity. Yeah, okay. So what advice would you give people in general about AI?
Speaker 2:So it's my hope that we start to practice what it means to read and consume information beyond the headlines. That's good, you know. I think these headlines sometimes can really create a lot of fear.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:And, you know, I think again thinking critically about, like, what is happening, what are people saying? Like just educating ourselves, like I, you know, follow certain people who are in the ethical AI space, you know, follow certain people who are in the ethical AI space. I read books and just really try to understand, like the full scope of impact of these tools that you know have a lot of possibilities, but also, like we understand, sometimes human nature will have us maybe sway or ignore other impacts. And so how do we, you know, just really understand what all of that is? And so, like I've had to start like really small and be intentional about those things, and so that's the advice that I would give to anybody else Like it can be overwhelming all of the changes and all of the head-burning things, you know. And so, just like, start small and be intentional. What are those areas or spaces that are, like important to you? Like, for me, it was like understanding the impact of this growth in AI and the use of the technology and what that impact is on our environment and the data centers, what that impact is on our environment and the data centers, and and you know, and then just thinking even beyond that about what's happening just in climate change. All of these things are interesting to me and and so I I tend to, you know, focus there.
Speaker 2:But I'm also interested in, like the, the other impacts of the implementation of some of these tools when it comes to the bias that can be perpetuated, and so I do a lot of studying and reading there. And so just being really intentional about where I focus my time and attention so that I can speak intelligently about it and so that I'm not reacting or reactionary about it, but also like learning the basics of AI, so that we can understand its capabilities but also its limitations, right? Because then you know, if we understand the basics and we understand what the limits are, then some of those headlines we can be like, okay, yeah, that's just a headline, right. Then some of those headlines we can be like, okay, yeah, that's just a headline, right, because we understand what the technology is doing and what the true impact of that technology is, and then maybe even be more curious and explore or experiment with some of the tools in those areas of interest for you, another piece of advice is just to prioritize ethics, so think about how your use of AI might impact people, especially in terms of fairness and transparency.
Speaker 2:And, most importantly, like, don't be afraid to be curious and ask questions or find groups like AI Ready RVAA and surround yourself with like-minded people who may be using these tools or may have some of the same questions or curiosities about these tools, who may have some of the same concerns about these tools right in community, because, like, we learn from some of us do, but you know we stand to be able to learn from other people in around us and not just like in our own bubbles of experience and knowledge. And so open yourself up to come out to an event or two that is held by AI Ready RVA and, you know, have some of the talks around AI and money and finance, or AI and the education system and or women in AI. You know some of the other cohorts that will be coming out of AI Ready RBA.
Speaker 1:I hear we're thinking about an ethics one as well as Chris Mowery. Last week we were able to talk about the veterans cohort. So, yeah, lots of great exposure for organized people if they're willing to have those conversations. Yeah, I love the practical advice you just offered to the audience here giving them something small to think about, like, and then stay curious and be intentional, because you know it would definitely makes the AI learning process less intimidating. I think if you focus on what's most important and and and leverage your critical thinking skills to filter out the nonsense and be objective about it. Yeah, from a small business owner perspective, what would wake you up? You know, let's say you weren't Pierce Consulting and you didn't have all this background and you were saying, as a small business owner, I'm going to need to take action. When do I need to take this action? How do I need to take this action? And then, coming to terms with, I have no idea where to start, what would you offer this small business owner?
Speaker 2:Yeah, community, community, yeah, absolutely Like.
Speaker 2:Come and surround yourself with other people who are not just community as entrepreneurs, but community in like, how are we building our businesses and how?
Speaker 2:What are the tools and the resources that we're using to supplement the work that we have to do?
Speaker 2:You know, a lot of us start as business, or, yeah, as a lot of us start as business, or, yeah, as a lot of us start as organizations of one Right, and so, as a small business owner, we may be doing all of the things the marketing, the content creation, the you know, the paperwork, the taxes, like all of the things, right. And so how do we, you know, use some of the tools that might be available to us to supplement some of those things, so that we can go to sleep sometimes, because you know our skin, you know nice and clear, but you know so as a business owner who may have zero exposure to a tool like this, like, if you are that type of learner who you know can hear other people's examples or ways that small business owners might be using tools like generative AI to supplement some of those roles or responsibilities, then you know, come out and you know, build community around those things, and AI Ready RVA is one of those places you can do that.
Speaker 1:So that's so, that's, yeah, that's the way I feel about the cohorts especially, you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, speaking of cohorts, there will be a responsible AI cohort, which I will co-lead with Brian, who is just a great resource, and he's over with Babel AI and just has a ton of knowledge around ethical use, and you know they have some programs within Babel AI that are just amazing. I've had an opportunity to just kind of read up on some of the things that they're doing there, and so I'm really excited to launch our responsible AI cohort, which is for everyone, right, if you're someone like me who wants to maintain that healthy amount of skepticism and, you know like, wants to understand more deeply some of the ethical impacts and ways to apply governance within our work spaces, or just, you know, as individual users of this technology, I can't wait for us to launch that. I think we're planning for April timeframe.
Speaker 1:So join us. Yeah, that's a great time. It'll allow us to go through some of the other cohorts as well, and then and and yeah, I think I think we can definitely build something from the rhythm and that we have going with these cohorts. It'd be something special, and it sounds like you have a great partnership with Brian. I'm excited to see where that goes.
Speaker 2:Me too.
Speaker 1:All right, Well, you know I think we're at the end of all the serious talk here today, truly, truly, deeply enjoyed learning from you and a story that is unfolding See how the ethical and responsible ai develops over the next year or so. But I want to end the podcast with a fun question for you, and I'm like on the edge of my seat waiting to hear what you're going to say.
Speaker 2:Can you tell us, if you had any superpower, what would it be and why? So my superpower would be, and I'm probably going to date myself Maybe not, though, because my daughter is familiar with Care Bears, so like I'm obsessed with Care Bears, right, like they were the-.
Speaker 1:It's a healthy obsession, I think.
Speaker 2:I mean, they were my first lesson in diversity and inclusion, kindness and just Care Bears. So if I had a superpower, jj, my superpower would be the Care Bear. Stare right.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Like I can think of a few choice places that I would point my little belly badge to in these times that we're in, but like, honestly, everybody's getting it.
Speaker 2:Everybody's getting the belly badge beam from Ida at this point, right, because I just care about people and I care about how people experience work and life, and you know that extends beyond the people that I love, you know that are that are closest to me, right?
Speaker 2:So my, my, my superpower, my belly badge would be like igniting collaboration and like really amplifying on, like collective energy, which maybe I do a little bit of this already, I'm not sure, but like I want to create spaces where, like, everyone's strengths shine. Right, if you think about Care Bears, everybody had an individual belly badge and so they had their own unique talent or strength that they kind of beam out and shine, and like the messaging there is, just like when we all come together with our individual talent and our unique strengths and we point them in the same direction, like we make people stop being evil and mean. So that would be like my superpower to help solve problems, to help spark innovation and just really uplift each other. Really uplift each other, and I think AI literacy plays a role in that. Ai Ready RVA plays a role in that by empowering people to work smarter, to harness their potential and tackle challenges together. So when people feel valued and equipped, their collective power becomes unstoppable. And that's just like the magic of Care Bears.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I love it. I was a fan of the Care Bears back in the day. If I could remember, the Care Bears definitely had an impact. I seem to remember they had their individual strengths and then did they come together as well and then they beamed them like, like you know, all in one, is that what happened?
Speaker 2:yeah, like they would like beam them towards the thing, like the grumpy kid who was like knocking trash cans over right, like they would defeat the forces of evil with it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, and it was. It was big on healing too right absolutely yeah. So, um, yeah, healing too right Absolutely yeah. So healing superpower is a wonderful thing and leverage that with collaboration. You can pretty much do anything, I think, or create meaningful change, and especially if you pair it with AI literacy, right.
Speaker 2:Absolutely there you go, let's do it, jason.
Speaker 1:Awesome. This is so much fun, Ida. I really appreciate your time today.
Speaker 2:Thank you for having me. I appreciate it. This has been a fun. It's been fun to be able to talk about this in a way that, like it's just you know. You know it doesn't include all the technical jargon and the types of things that can be really intimidating to people and and cause people like, ah, I don't know anything about that, I don't want to know anything about it.
Speaker 2:Like, we need all of those right. We need the technical folks, we need the people who are working in this day in and day out, who are, you know, developing it, implementing it in organizations and in, you know, in various spaces. But we also need the people who are, like, consumers of it and we need the people who are impacted by it, because we all are. We need people who have questions and curiosity and who have no idea that this can be a tool that they can use to, you know, write their church newsletter or, you know, help their kid with homework, you know, or create an interesting story that you know allows you to have a bond with, you know, somebody that you love. So there's this. We need all of that in this conversation and I'm really proud to be part of a group like AI Ready RVA that prioritizes that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, it sounds like you just left the episode with the best wrap. I don't have anything else to include there. But again, thank you so much, ida, it was a pleasure.
Speaker 2:Yeah, thank you. Thanks for having me Talk to you soon.
Speaker 1:All right, take care. And thanks to our listeners for tuning in today. If you or your company would like to be featured in an Inspire AI Richmond episode, please drop us a message. Don't forget to like, share or follow our content and stay up to date on the latest events for AI Ready RVA. Thank you again and see you next time.
