SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) – The Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, which works with more than 1,600 local businesses, hosted an AI Summit on Friday specifically focused on how small businesses can use artificial intelligence responsibly.
Dr. John Likato of the University of South Florida said AI is not as new as many people think. “We were all already using AI before 2023, right? If you’ve used Google search before then, you’ve probably already used language generation models in particular,” Licato said.
Chamber President and CEO Heather Kasten said the event is designed to help business owners understand both the benefits and potential pitfalls.
“Learning how to use data correctly, the legal implications of using data, where we collect that data, is that data copyrightable, all of these things,” Kasten said. “While this is an exciting tool that we can use, there are some pitfalls that we must be aware of.”
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The summit featured fast-paced demonstrations showcasing various AI platforms and their applications.
Kasten said organizers intentionally brought a variety of perspectives to the panels and speakers. “That was exactly our intention…to share the good, the bad, and the ugly of AI, in the words of Clint Eastwood,” she said.
One expert who is part of the University of South Florida’s latest AI curriculum program, one lawyer who talks about what laws you can violate if you don’t use AI properly, and one business owner who founded a company using an AI model to teach others how to use AI models.
Each will speak to dozens of executives and employees about their experiences with AI. It also answers questions some companies have after already implementing some aspects of AI into their business.
Legal questions are also part of the conversation. Liz Stramoulis, an attorney at Williams Parker, said the use of AI could pose new problems if inaccurate information spreads and others have to respond.
“I think there are some interesting questions about how people will use it, but will they get the right answers?” Stramoulis said. “And there’s a toll that other people have to protect from it too.”
Kasten said learning AI tools is quickly becoming a must for job seekers. “It’s critical to invest in yourself and learn these platforms. People who don’t get on board with AI will be left behind, because that’s where the future lies,” she said. “This is where technology is headed.”
Organizers say their goal is to provide participants with practical tools and quick-hit techniques they can start using right away.
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