Six SSOB students and two faculty members attended the Social Innovation Challenge in Pittsburgh in late March.
The Entrepreneurial Leadership Council sponsored the competition. Attendees analyzed how artificial intelligence can be a useful tool for businesses and communities.
In addition to the SFU group, students from Westminster, Washington & Jefferson, Grove City, and Allegheny also competed at the event.
The students were split into groups to create plans for specific areas of Pennsylvania.
“Each group was given a town, and you had to come up with a business idea that would help the economy of that town,” said Luci Cicalese, a junior Marketing major.
The competitors learned how to effectively use artificial intelligence to gather information about the towns and determine what could be helpful to them.
“They explained to us how to format questions for AI,” Cicalese said.
Imane Mahrani, a senior Finance major, enjoyed the event.
“We had the opportunity to exchange ideas, engage in dialogue, and share our perspectives,” she said.
Mahrani gained a better understanding of how artificial intelligence can be useful in the professional world.
“I have learned that AI today is an incredibly powerful tool that can truly improve our lives, make us more productive, and assist us in developing projects.”
“It is like having an expert right in front of you.”
While Mahrani appreciates what artificial intelligence can do, she understands that it also poses risks.
“We must be able to distinguish between what appears to be right and what appears to be wrong,” Mahrani said.
Students conducted research on the cities of Erie, Sharon, Greensburg, Washington and Johnstown.
SFU’s Austin Horner took first place with his team. They proposed the construction of a data center in Johnstown.
The competition allowed students to gain confidence using artificial intelligence.
“I feel a little more comfortable using it now than I did before,” said Cicalese.
