The AI Opportunity

Into The Shadows with Erica Simmons

In this episode of Monster in My Closet, Anil and Morgan explore the transformative power of artificial intelligence (AI) with special guest Erica Simmons. Erica shares her journey from the Caribbean to becoming a global advocate for ethical AI use. Together, they discuss the potential of AI to level the playing field for small island developing states, empower creatives, and improve governance and education. They also explore the risks of unchecked AI, including ethical concerns, job displacement, and societal upheaval, and provide actionable steps for entrepreneurs and organizations to embrace AI responsibly.

"AI isn't here to replace us—it’s here to amplify us."

Key Takeaways with Step-by-Step Instructions

Embrace AI Gradually: Start small—use tools like ChatGPT for simple tasks like email drafting. Expand usage as confidence grows.
Leverage AI for Creativity: Utilize AI tools to develop creative projects like music, art, and movies that were previously inaccessible.
Adopt Data-Driven Practices: Train your team to recognize and prepare datasets for AI to ensure better outputs.
Focus on Upskilling: Invest in training programs to educate employees on AI tools, ensuring they stay competitive.
Establish AI Governance: Create ethics and governance offices to oversee AI usage, mitigate risks, and ensure compliance.
Ask the Right Questions: Before purchasing AI systems, inquire about data sources, decision-making processes, and error rates.
Personalize AI Applications: Tailor AI solutions to regional or business-specific needs for optimal outcomes.
Build Inclusive Hiring Practices: Recruit neurodiverse talent for tasks like data cleaning and analysis to maximize accuracy and innovation.
Encourage Collaboration: Bring diverse voices, including social scientists, into tech development to ensure ethical and inclusive AI solutions.
Use AI for Disaster Preparedness: Leverage AI to predict and respond to challenges like climate change and natural disasters.

Research and Statistics on This Topic

Global AI Investments: By 2030, AI is projected to contribute $15.7 trillion to the global economy (PwC).
Job Creation and Displacement: AI could create 97 million new jobs while displacing 85 million jobs by 2025 (World Economic Forum).
AI Accessibility: 68% of small businesses worldwide plan to adopt AI in the next five years (Microsoft).
Digital Divide: Developing countries face a 57% gap in internet penetration, impacting AI adoption (ITU).
Bias in AI: Studies show facial recognition systems misidentify Black individuals up to 35% more often than white individuals (MIT Media Lab).

Wrap Up

As we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, it’s clear that its potential is boundless. From empowering small island states to revolutionizing creative industries, AI offers opportunities we’ve only begun to imagine. However, with great power comes great responsibility. By fostering ethical practices, prioritizing inclusivity, and leveraging AI to amplify—not replace—human potential, we can ensure this technology serves the greater good. Let’s embrace the challenge of steering AI’s development thoughtfully, knowing that every step forward brings us closer to a future where innovation truly benefits all.

About Erica Simmons

Erica Simmons is a dynamic innovator with a passion for driving transformative experiences in the tech space. she is an expert in product development, business development and marketing enterprise software having gained extensive experience from her time at some of the top software companies in the world notably ServiceNow, Siemens AG and Oracle Corporation. Her expertise in emerging technologies has guided businesses, governments, and educational institutions to adapt to the rapidly changing landscape of work.

A key area of her influence has been in advocating for policies that ensure the Small Island Developing States like those in the Caribbean and around the world are well-prepared for the future of work. Ms. Simmons has tirelessly promoted initiatives that integrate AI into the redevelopment strategies, ensuring equitable access to technology and emphasizing the need to address infrastructure, cultural, and governmental hurdles.

As one of the global voices on AI, she serves on UNESCO’s Expert Group on the Ethics of AI and is a part of UNESCO’s AI Ethics Experts Without Borders Network, contributing to frameworks that guide the responsible adoption of AI around the world. Most notably, she’s the author of the Caribbean Artificial Intelligence Roadmap, a strategic framework aimed at fostering innovation, building infrastructure, and ensuring the ethical use of AI across the Caribbean.

A highly sought-after public speaker, Erica shares her expertise on the future of work, AI, and the evolving world of technology. Get ready for an insightful conversation with one of the industry’s leading voices on ethical AI and digital transformation.

Resources from Erica:

UNESCO website: Caribbean Artificial Intelligence Policy Roadmap.

Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence

UNESCO's first-ever global standard on AI ethics – the ‘Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence’, adopted in 2021, is applicable to all 194 member states of UNESCO.

UNESCO Information for All Programme

The Information for All Programme (IFAP) is a unique UNESCO intergovernmental programme that supports Member States in fostering equitable societies through promoting universal access to information and knowledge for sustainable development.

Global AI Ethics and Governance Observatory

A platform for knowledge, expert insights, and good practices on the ethics and governance of artificial intelligence

UNESCO Caribbean Artificial Intelligence Initiative

The Caribbean AI Initiative, addresses the critical need for shaping an ethical and inclusive AI landscape in the Caribbean SIDS.

The Caribbean AI Initiative

The overall purpose of the Caribbean Artificial Intelligence (AI) initiative is to raise awareness and promote reflection on the opportunities and challenges that Artificial Intelligence and its correlated technologies pose in the Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

Ethics, Equality, & AI in the Caribbean

Carnegie Council Video Podcast

Artificial intelligence (AI) will affect the socio-economic development of nations across the globe. Caribbean countries are particularly susceptible because they tend to be labor intensive economies and are therefore at risk of significant economic and social disruption from automation and artificial intelligence. Three experts in this space--Cordel Green, Stacey Russell, and Erica Simmons--discuss these issues and much more.

AI Risk Management Framework

NIST released NIST-AI-600-1, Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework: Generative Artificial Intelligence Profile. Developed in part to fulfill an October 30, 2023 Executive Order, the profile can help organizations identify unique risks posed by generative AI and proposes actions for generative AI risk management that best aligns with their goals and priorities.