The Journey with Morgan DeBaun: How the AfroTech Community Is Really Using AI (Survey Results Inside)
Release Date: June 17, 2025

Introduction

In this episode of The Journey with Morgan DeBaun, host Morgan DeBaun explores the intricate relationship between the AfroTech community and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Drawing from recent survey data, Morgan dispels common misconceptions about AI usage within the community and delves into how diverse professionals are integrating AI to enhance productivity and creativity.

AI Usage Statistics in the AfroTech Community

Morgan begins by addressing the prevalent misconception that the AfroTech community doesn't engage with AI beyond basic tools like ChatGPT. She references a comprehensive survey conducted by AfroTech, which garnered responses from over a thousand participants, ensuring robust data analysis.

“Feels like there's a misconception of like, oh, people are just using ChatGPT and they're not really incorporating it into their life... our data shows is we're using AI quite a bit.”
— Morgan DeBaun [02:30]

Key statistics from the survey include:

• 93% are familiar with AI tools.
• 61% use AI daily, while 32% utilize it three to four times a week.

These numbers underscore that AI adoption spans across various roles within the community, from side hustlers and entrepreneurs to senior executives.

Popular AI Tools Among the Community

The survey revealed the most widely adopted AI tools within AfroTech:

• ChatGPT: 96% adoption
• Jitfi: 63% adoption
• Google Gemini and Microsoft Copilot: 51% adoption each

These tools are primarily used for:

• Research
• Writing
• Managing emails
• Brainstorming sessions

Morgan emphasizes that the community leverages AI not just for technological advancement but to boost productivity.

“The number one use was like it just helps you move faster with your workday.”
— Morgan DeBaun [04:15]

Applications of AI in Productivity and Creativity

Beyond productivity, AI plays a significant role in the creative processes of AfroTech members. Contrary to the myth that creatives are hesitant to adopt AI, the survey indicates that creatives are among the heaviest AI users, utilizing tools for:

• Image generation
• Video editing automation
• Generating captions for videos

This integration showcases AI's versatility in enhancing both analytical and creative workflows.

Survey Insights: Learning Needs and Misconceptions

Morgan highlights the community's primary desire to advance their AI skills:

• Automation: Many seek to understand how to integrate AI tools into their workflows to save time and reduce manual labor.

A prevalent concern among respondents is the uncertainty about which AI tools to use for specific tasks. This confusion leads to a fear of not maximizing AI's potential, despite its widespread usage.

“I don't know which tool to use when... I don't know how to parse this information.”
— Survey Respondent [15:45]

Challenges and Misunderstandings in AI Tool Utilization

The survey uncovers challenges such as:

• Tool Selection: Difficulty in choosing the right AI tool for particular use cases.
• Integration: Struggles with incorporating multiple AI tools seamlessly into existing workflows.
• Advanced Usage: A gap in knowledge regarding the advanced features and automation capabilities of AI tools.

Morgan acknowledges these hurdles and stresses the importance of educating the community beyond basic AI knowledge.

Future Programming and Educational Needs

Addressing the survey findings, Morgan announces a shift in AfroTech's programming focus:

• Moving beyond AI 101 to deeper, more practical AI applications.
• Introducing sessions on advanced Figma features, Canva automation, and other level 2 and 3 AI tool functionalities.

This approach aims to empower the community to harness AI's full potential in their professional and creative endeavors.

Data Privacy and Intellectual Property Concerns

Morgan touches upon significant concerns raised in the survey:

• Data Privacy Compliance: Ensuring AI tools adhere to data protection standards.
• Intellectual Property: Worries about ownership of outputs generated by AI, especially when creating products or apps using AI-driven coding tools like Vibe Coding.

She emphasizes the need for guidelines and best practices to navigate these complexities, ensuring that AI usage aligns with legal and ethical standards.

Case Studies and Practical AI Applications

To illustrate practical AI usage, Morgan shares personal anecdotes demonstrating ChatGPT's versatility:

1. Gardening Assistance:

   • Identifying unknown plants and visualizing their growth.
   • Example: Morgan used ChatGPT to identify a perennial plant by uploading a photo, aiding in garden management.

2. Financial Strategy Development:

   • Formulating investment strategies by combining traditional and AI-driven approaches.
   • Example: Morgan discusses a strategic debate with her father about stock trading versus real estate investment, utilizing ChatGPT to analyze and support her real estate investment plan.

“You can use ChatGPT as your financial advisor. You just got to know how to ask the right questions.”
— Morgan DeBaun [38:20]

Personal Anecdotes and Use Cases

Morgan shares two personal stories showcasing AI's practical benefits:

1. Gardening:

   • Plant Identification: Uploading photos to ChatGPT to identify and care for plants.
   • Visual Prediction: Requesting ChatGPT to generate images of how plants will bloom, enhancing garden planning.

2. Financial Planning:

   • Investment Analysis: Using ChatGPT to compare long-term stock investments with multifamily real estate investments, incorporating assumptions and detailed financial data.
   • Family Discussions: Demonstrates how AI can provide data-driven insights during strategic financial debates.

These anecdotes highlight AI's role in everyday problem-solving and strategic decision-making.

Financial Strategies Using AI

A significant portion of the episode delves into financial strategies enhanced by AI:

• Stock Trading vs. Real Estate: Morgan discusses blending traditional long-term stock investments with real estate diversification, supported by AI-generated data and analysis.

• AI as a Financial Advisor: Emphasizes the importance of precise prompting to obtain accurate and actionable financial advice from AI tools.

“For users of AI, my challenge to you is, nowadays the day-to-day use of ChatGPT is like, try to build your own custom GPT. Try to train your GPT on how you like to communicate and try to get better at prompting.”
— Morgan DeBaun [44:10]

Morgan advises the community to:

• Develop Custom AI Models: Tailor AI tools to fit individual communication styles and workflow needs.
• Enhance Prompting Skills: Learn and refine the art of crafting effective prompts to maximize AI utility.
• Leverage Community Resources: Utilize platforms like YouTube, podcasts, and Reddit for tutorials and pre-built prompts to streamline AI integration.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Morgan wraps up the episode by reinforcing the transformative potential of AI within the AfroTech community. She encourages listeners to:

• Deepen AI Knowledge: Move beyond basic usage to explore advanced functionalities and integrations.
• Mitigate Fears Through Education: Address concerns about tool selection and data privacy by seeking comprehensive knowledge and best practices.
• Engage with Community Resources: Take advantage of shared learning materials and collaborative platforms to enhance AI proficiency.

She concludes with a personal note on time constraints but reiterates the importance of embracing AI to navigate the evolving technological landscape effectively.

“You gotta give it as much information as possible... try to build your own custom GPT.”
— Morgan DeBaun [45:50]

Key Takeaways:

• High AI Adoption: The AfroTech community extensively uses AI tools, debunking myths about limited engagement.
• Diverse Applications: AI is instrumental in both productivity and creative processes.
• Educational Gap: There's a need for deeper, practical AI education to harness advanced features and integrations.
• Personal Empowerment: Personal stories illustrate AI's role in everyday problem-solving and strategic planning.
• Future Focus: AfroTech is committed to evolving its programming to meet the community's advanced AI learning needs.

Thank you for joining this detailed exploration of AI usage within the AfroTech community on The Journey with Morgan DeBaun. Stay tuned for more empowering conversations and insights in future episodes.