AI has been positioned as a tool of the future, yet for many in Detroit’s underrepresented communities, it remains a distant concept. The introduction of AI to the mainstream through platforms like ChatGPT did little to showcase its transformative potential beyond social media and workplace automation. Instead of being framed as a tool for innovation and opportunity, AI has been met with skepticism, uncertainty, and, in many cases, outright discouragement.
The systemic barriers preventing widespread AI adoption in Black and Latino communities are evident. Lack of exposure, educational gaps, and limited access to resources have left many detached from one of the most important technological shifts of the century. While schools in countries like China introduce AI education at the elementary level, too many American schools are discouraging its use altogether. The result? A generation of Black and Brown students left behind in a rapidly evolving digital economy.
George Strong, a student at Western Michigan University, understands this disconnect firsthand. He grew up in a neighborhood where conversations about AI never extended beyond what was seen in sci-fi movies. But when he got to college, he quickly realized that AI wasn’t some far-off concept—it was here, and it was shaping the world around him. “I see the gap, and I know my community isn’t being given the same tools to bridge it,” Strong shared. “I want to be part of changing that. AI is more than just chatbots and filters—it’s about creating, building, and having control over our own narratives in tech.”
Strong’s aspirations reflect a larger need for Detroit’s youth to be engaged in AI literacy, not just as consumers but as innovators. Without access to AI education, job training, and hands-on learning opportunities, the digital divide will continue to grow, leaving Black and Brown communities on the outskirts of progress. AI has the potential to revolutionize industries, create economic mobility, and drive community development—if it’s embraced with the right strategies.
Markeith Weldon, Chairman & CEO of Nexusmind Technologies, echoes these sentiments. “Unfortunately, AI is not being widely used or explored as it could be in our underrepresented communities in Detroit,” Weldon stated. “I believe the introduction of AI to the average citizen was flawed in its initial presentation.”
His company, Nexusmind Technologies, is already working to shift this narrative. As the largest Black and Latino-owned IT service provider in America, Nexusmind is deeply invested in amplifying underrepresented voices and creating tangible pathways for tech access. “As the leader of Nexusmind Technologies, it is extremely important that we continue to provide employment and internship opportunities for our Detroit community,” Weldon emphasized. “Given we are a global technology service provider, we want to be an organization that can learn from our experiences and engagements around the world and bring those lessons learned back home to Detroit.”
Yet, the challenge is bigger than just one company. The broader issue is ensuring that AI is not just another wave of innovation that excludes marginalized communities. If properly integrated into education and workforce development, AI can be a powerful tool for social mobility. The opportunity to automate processes, streamline business operations, and enhance community-driven initiatives exists, but it requires intentionality.
Many Detroiters remain hesitant about AI due to a lack of exposure. “People are leveraging AI to work more efficiently at work and school but not being taught the ethical and proper ways to use it,” Weldon explained. “Our youth believe it is a way to create shortcuts in the time to complete their studies, rather than a skill to enhance their development for future employment.”
This mindset, shaped by limited guidance and institutional pushback, creates a fear-based response to AI rather than an empowerment-based one. AI should be integrated into curriculums, community workshops, and workforce training programs to shift the perception from one of intimidation to one of opportunity.
Strong sees AI as a bridge—one that can connect his generation to possibilities that were previously out of reach. “I don’t want to just use AI—I want to build with it, innovate with it, and make sure people who look like me are in the rooms where the decisions are made,” he said.
The push for AI literacy and engagement must be a collaborative effort. Community organizations, universities, and tech leaders must create spaces where Black and Brown youth can access AI-driven education. Partnerships between public schools and companies like Nexusmind Technologies could introduce AI training programs, mentorship initiatives, and funding for hands-on AI development projects. Without this kind of investment, the technology that could uplift Detroit may become just another force that widens economic and racial disparities.
Resistance to AI in marginalized communities stems from a long history of exclusion from technological advances. The fear that AI will replace jobs rather than create opportunities is real, and without deliberate action, that fear may become reality. AI should not be another tool wielded by corporations to displace workers—it should be a mechanism for community empowerment, business development, and generational wealth-building.
Detroit’s history is rooted in innovation. From the automotive industry’s global influence to the city’s impact on music, culture, and activism, Detroit has always shaped movements rather than followed them. AI should be no different. The community must step forward not only to adopt AI but to lead in its evolution.
Strong represents a new wave of young Black innovators who recognize AI’s potential but need the right infrastructure to turn ideas into impact. “I know there are people in my community who could do incredible things with AI if they had the chance,” he said. “We just need the tools.”
That is the challenge ahead—ensuring those tools are within reach, that AI becomes a pathway rather than a barrier, and that Detroit’s Black and Brown communities are not just participants in the AI revolution but leaders in it.
“Let’s not fear AI; let’s partner with AI and GROW!” Weldon emphasized. Detroit has always been a city built on resilience, ingenuity, and reinvention. The next chapter of that story should include AI, and it should include everyone.
This story is part of the Digital Equity Local Voices Fellowship Lab. The
Lab initiative is made possible with support from Comcast NBCUniversal.
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