An organization in Southwest Florida is launching an effort to make artificial intelligence more human. It's supposed to show business people and regular citizens how the new technology can be helpful.
Mary Gentile was not that familiar with AI, when her company, LQ Commercial in Fort Myers, used the tool to look at its operations. LQ manages commercial and rental properties all over the region.
AI found a software glitch that prevented LQ from showing up on websites. That's a huge loss of exposure.
"And then I realized something was broken on the back end of our company that we were not showing up in search engines anymore," Gentile said. "Not Google or Safari — like we didn't exist somehow after 20 years."
Gentile explained that A-I quickly found a solution, and LQ appeared on widely-used websites.
After that she said he became a big supporter of the Collaboratory's new Human intelligence, Artificial intelligence Innovation Hub. The Collaboratory is a non-profit group that brings together businesses and community leaders to address and solve regional issues. It's in downtown Fort Myers.
And yes, there's a reason humans are mentioned before machines in the name of the new hub.
"People do business with people," Abdul Muhammed II, vice-president of the hub, said. "And no matter what the technology is, it's always going to be driven by people. So our goal is to really put the human in front."
He said the Collaboratory will host workshops for business people and citizens to get comfortable with AI.
"It allows you to be empowered in a way that previously we were not," Muhammed II said. "And as long as we understand that sole intelligence, this human intelligence that we have that allows us to actually be human and not turn into an AI robot...this is where the value is."
Some people who talked with WGCU News in Fort Myers said: overcoming fear of AI is vital.
"You know, could there be a place where it's sophisticated enough to replace a human in work?" John Devine said of AI. "I think that is possible. But I think in any creative endeavor, it can't do that."
"We don't want it to replace us, right?" Hari Samyamantri said. "So we want the emotional part of it to stick with us. But we just have to use it as a tool, like an assistant."
Property manager Mary Gentile said there's no turning back from AI.
"I'm excited about it. You always have that apprehension about where it is going to go if it is in the wrong hands," she said.
"Like everybody jokes about "Terminator" and "I Robot" and all the things that you know, we saw growing up. None of us want that to happen! So it's like how do you educate so that there's not that fear. At the heart of all of it, it helps people. So again, it's that fear. We want to give people confidence."
The Collaboratory hopes the innovation hub can help businesses identify and address new needs in the region.
"It really lights me up and gets me hopeful," Muhammed II said. "You know we talk about non-profits and the different things that service-based individuals and leaders have that lights them up. And what AI has done is: it has really excited that and ignited that passion for having impact, greater impact."
The innovation hub will host a workshop and orientation at the Collaboratory on Friday, July 31, starting at 9 a.m.
Here is a link to register for the event:
https://collaboratory.org/event/ai-fridays-introduction-to-the-swfl-hi-ai-innovation-hub-2/#rsvp-now
The Collaboratory is at 2031 Jackson Street in Fort Myers.
Mike Walcher is a reporter with WGCU News. He also teaches Journalism at Florida Gulf Coast University. WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.
