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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/will-ai-erase-black-history-or-empower-it

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Artificial intelligence is transforming the world at breakneck speed.

But one critical question remains largely unanswered.

Who is shaping the future of AI, and who might be erased from it?

In this powerful episode of A Black Executive Perspective Podcast, Tony Franklin and Chris P. Reed sit down with Roy Austin Jr., Director of the Howard Law AI Initiative and former Deputy Assistant to President Obama, live from the HBCU AI Conference at Huston Tillotson University.

Roy breaks down the growing intersection between AI, civil rights, technology policy, and racial equity, explaining why the data used to train artificial intelligence will determine whether AI reinforces inequality or becomes a tool for justice.

The conversation explores the untapped power of Black historical archives held by HBCUs, the urgent need for AI transparency and regulation, and the responsibility leaders must take to ensure that technological innovation benefits all communities.

Tony and Chris also challenge political leaders, tech companies, and institutions to confront an uncomfortable reality.

If artificial intelligence becomes the most powerful technology of the next generation, the question is not whether AI will shape society.

The question is who will shape AI.

What You Will Learn

• Why HBCUs may hold the most valuable untapped datasets for the future of artificial intelligence

• How AI bias and algorithmic decision-making could impact jobs, policing, and economic mobility

• The four pillars of the Howard Law AI Initiative and how they aim to build ethical AI systems

• Why transparency, regulation, and community leadership will determine who benefits from AI

▶︎ In This Episode

00:00 Opening Question and Setting the Stage

01:00 Live from the HBCU AI Conference

02:12 Roy Austin Jr. and the Howard Law AI Initiative

04:10 The Four Pillars of Ethical AI Development

08:05 Why Black Historical Archives Must Be Digitized

10:30 The Civil Rights Impact of Artificial Intelligence

13:05 Are We Entering a New Civil Rights Era?

16:10 Community Unity and Collective Power

18:05 The Debate Around “Victim Mentality”

20:05 Can AI Strengthen Black Economic Power?

21:05 Tech Money, Politics, and Regulation

23:05 What Leaders Must Do Next

24:40 Final Thoughts on the Future of AI and Justice

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