Exploring Artificial Intelligence
Join us as we explore the future of AI in Alaskan business, culture, education, and government.
Welcome to the Alaska SBDC Summit: Exploring Artificial Intelligence! Please plan to check in in the lobby located on the ground-level floor of the Captain Cook Hotel.
Kick off the SBDC Summit with Jon Bittner, Alaska SBDC State Director and Master of Ceremonies, enjoy remarks from UAA Chancellor Sean Parnell, and then dive into growth strategies with founders Shawn Greenway and Javier Velazquez, whose company Formwise is reshaping the future!
Get ready for a thought-provoking luncheon keynote like no other!
Join Master of Ceremonies Jon Bittner, Alaska SBDC State Director, as he hosts a captivating debate with the UAA Seawolf Debate Team on the risks and benefits of artificial intelligence development and deployment.
Judges: Christine Resler, CEO, AES, and Christi Bell, Executive Director, UAA BEI
Debate topic: The potential risks posed by the development and deployment of AI outweigh the potential benefits
With the potential for great rewards and significant societal implications, this session will ignite insightful discussions and challenge your perspective. Take advantage of this captivating and engaging debate!
Join us as we reflect on the conversations surrounding AI and its impact and implications on Alaskan business, culture, education, and government.
Keynote: David Reeser, Founder, OpiAID
Closing Remarks: Jon Bittner, State Director, Alaska SBDC
Panelists will share insights, best practices, and real-world examples of how AI technologies can empower small business owners to streamline processes, make data-driven decisions, and drive sustainable growth in an increasingly competitive landscape. The panel also addresses potential challenges, ethical considerations, and practical strategies for integrating AI into small business operations while maximizing impact and value.
Moderator: Kristen Fowler Garland, CEO, Tonbo
Jennifer Christensen will provide actionable insights and information on how to vet the most effective AI marketing tools that you can utilize in your business or agency today. She will provide a list of over 50 AI tools that Beacon Media + Marketing has vetted and share the top 7 in more depth and detail.
Introduction by Harley Tennant, Alaska SBDC Communications Manager.
Learn how to create new tools powered by artificial intelligence without formal technical knowledge and how to prototype the dreams that may change your organization!
Introduction: Tyler Arnold, TREND Program Director and SSBCI Equity Director, Alaska SBDC
How Alaska SBDC Leads the Charge in AI-Driven Solutions & Strategies
Discover the cutting-edge approach of Alaska’s SBDC in harnessing AI for business innovation. Led by Anchorage Center Director Carlos Machuca MBA and Rural Program Director Ian Grant, this presentation offers deep dives into overcoming business challenges through AI technologies, including GPTs and chatbots. Uncover Alaska’s blueprint for transforming statewide needs into strengths, offering both short-term solutions and long-term strategies. Join us to gain actionable insights that will empower your business and contribute to Alaska’s economic growth. Step into the future with guidance that sets your company apart.
Introduction: Kendra Conroy, Alaska SBDC Associate State Director
Carlos Machuca, Alaska SBDC Anchorage Center Director
Ian Grant, Alaska SBDC Rural Program Director
Thinking aloud about AI and art, artists, museums, and creativity. Looking at ways artists are employing artificial intelligence as a tool and ways they worry about what’s next. A presentation that doesn’t provide the answers but looks at the landscape.
Introduction: Tim Pearson, Professional Coach, Pearson Consulting
Panelists will share insights, experiences, and diverse perspectives on how artists can leverage AI to push the boundaries of creativity, experiment with new mediums, and engage with audiences in novel ways. The panel also delves into ethical considerations, challenges, and the evolving relationship between human intuition and machine intelligence in the realm of artistic creation.
Moderator: Kris Swanson, Photographer
Panelists share insights into how AI technologies are reshaping their respective industries, from performance and storytelling in film and voice acting to optimizing design processes and creating immersive environments.
They critically examine potential impacts such as job displacement, loss of creative autonomy, and ethical concerns surrounding AI-generated content, fostering a nuanced understanding of the complex interplay between human creativity, technological innovation, and the future of entertainment and design.
Moderator: P. Shane Mitchell, Artistic Director, TBA Theatre
Join us to discuss the evolving strategies, tools, and ethical considerations necessary for navigating the intersection of AI and storytelling. Michelle Egan joins Adelyn Baxter, Nat Herz, and Vicky Ho to examine how AI is reshaping content creation, dissemination, audience engagement, and media consumption patterns.
Additionally, they critically assess the proliferation of fake news, algorithmic bias, job displacement, and the erosion of traditional editorial standards, emphasizing the need for responsible AI usage and human oversight to mitigate these challenges and preserve the integrity of PR and journalism.
Panelists will explore the evolving role of AI in detecting, mitigating, and responding to cyber threats, addressing topics such as threat intelligence, anomaly detection, and automated incident response. Discussions also delve into the ethical implications, challenges, and best practices for leveraging AI to fortify defenses, protect sensitive data, and safeguard digital infrastructure against emerging cyber threats, all while acknowledging that AI itself poses potential cybersecurity concerns, such as adversarial attacks and exploitation of AI vulnerabilities.
Moderator: Geoff Wright, Funding Specialist, Alaska SBDC
In this panel, experts and stakeholders in higher education policy converge to address the transformative impact of AI on academia. They explore the evolving landscape of higher education policy, considering the integration of AI technologies, their implications for teaching and learning, and the broader societal implications.
Discussions delve into issues such as equity, access, privacy, and the ethical use of AI in shaping the future of higher education, fostering critical dialogue and strategic insights to navigate this rapidly evolving terrain.
Moderator: William “Bill” Anker, Executive Director, Strategic Programs Office of Information Technology, University of Alaska
Dr. Helena Wisniewski, Marion Porter Chair, Professor of Entrepreneurship, University of Alaska Anchorage
Dayne Broderson, Program Manager, Alaska Center for Energy & Power; Teaching Through Technology Lead, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Dr. Mike Jones, Research Assistant Professor of Economics, Institute for Social and Economic Reliance, University of Alaska Anchorage
Kenrick Mock, Dean and Professor – Computer Science & Engineering, UAA
Join a thought-provoking dialogue about the intricate dynamics of AI-aided writing. Don Rearden and Dante Medema explore the nuanced advantages and challenges inherent in leveraging artificial intelligence tools in the creative writing process. Through candid discussions, they delve into topics such as the enhancement of productivity, the preservation of authorial voice, ethical considerations, and the enduring value of human creativity amidst technological advancements.
Moderator: Doug Franklin, Sci-Fi Author, Airhounds
Panelists will delve into how AI technologies are reshaping teaching and learning practices, curriculum development, student assessment, and educational equity in the digital age. Participants examine promising AI applications, ethical considerations, and practical strategies for effectively integrating AI into K-12 classrooms to enhance student engagement, personalize learning experiences, and prepare the next generation for the challenges of an AI-driven world.
Moderator: Andy Holleman, Anchorage School Board Member
Join in for two presentations from experienced government contractors to learn how they are utilizing AI in their work.
Local experts will explore how artificial intelligence, including the emergence of deep fakes, is reshaping elections and campaigns. From the challenges of algorithmic transparency to the implications of synthetic media on political discourse, they will examine the urgent need for strategies to detect and mitigate the spread of misinformation while emphasizing the importance of media literacy in navigating the complexities of the digital age.
Moderator: Miles Baker
Local government has unique properties and challenges that make Generative AI a potentially useful tool. Local governments produce lots of open data and we will cover how to use Chat GPT+ to quickly analyze data and gain insights for additional research. Local governments often have a lot of difficult to understand regulations and procedures.
We will show an example of a Custom GPT that lets you ask questions about Anchorage Land Use and Building code in a conversational manner. We will also explore current and possible use cases for Generative AI in local government from across the US.
Introduction: Melanie Lucas-Conwell, Director, 49th State Angel Fund and C-PACER Clean Energy Financing Program, Municipality of Anchorage
Panelists will focus on the ways AI technologies can enhance efficiency, streamline processes, and drive innovation across various government functions. Participants delve into real-world examples and potential challenges associated with leveraging AI in state government operations, highlighting opportunities for improved service delivery, data-driven decision-making, and citizen engagement.