Pasco-Hernando State College hosted "AI and Business: What you need to know now" on September 21 at the PHSC Instructional Performing Arts Center in Wesley Chapel, Florida. The panel discussion covered a variety of topics related to artificial intelligence, including its applications in business, marketing, logistics, and finance, as well as its increasing impact on mainstream society.

Margie Burnham, PHSC's special assistant to the president for corporate college and professional development and the event organizer, stated, "AI is weaving its way into the fabric of all industries, and we must embrace this technology and learn to use the tools found in AI to improve our businesses, our lives, and our communities."

The event drew a diverse audience, including community members, students, faculty, and staff. Davina Jones, Ph.D., Provost of PHSC's Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, facilitated the discussion among distinguished speakers: Omar Fuentes, co-founder and CEO of Accel-EQ; Lawrence Hall, Ph.D., co-director of the Institute of AI +X at the University of South Florida; James Libengood, social science instructor at PHSC; Mark Mills, vice president of Advanced Solutions and ConGlobal; and Misty Price, Ph.D., accounting professor at PHSC.

Lawrence Hall emphasized the importance of such events, noting that they provide the community with an opportunity to learn about new ideas and how they impact our lives, offering a sense of reassurance through familiarity.

The college expressed its ongoing commitment to building relationships with businesses in the community and plans to host more events like this in the future, where community members can network and stay informed about emerging industry topics.

PHSC Corporate College is actively organizing business symposiums to address significant issues faced by local businesses, with this event marking the beginning of a series, as mentioned by Burnham.

The success of the event was made possible through sponsorship and collaboration with the North Tampa Bay Chamber and Spherion Staffing and Recruiting.

For more information about upcoming events at PHSC, please visit phsc.edu.