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3 weeks ago
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Friday 17th October | Reflections by Mudi
From the offset, you have to applaud the aura of the Black Business Show (BBS). The energy hits you even before you enter the building. I somehow managed to connect with participants right outside the venue. Still, I was a little skeptical; my first interaction was with a financial professional who seemed to have little interest in tech.
As a software engineer, I didn’t come for financial advice. Subtle flashbacks to my time in banking surfaced. However I kept my cool, exchanged details, and kept it moving.
The AI Advantage talk, presented by a strong team from Moody, was genuinely engaging (I thought I was the only one by that name in this multiverse.)
The session kicked off with short talks led by Dina Baïche and team. Surprisingly, they kept my attention. Let’s be honest, as a software engineer with hands-on AI tooling experience, I usually expect to drift off at AI events.
What kept me awake was the validation of ideas I already held about AI:
AI is an advanced tool, and still just software. An extension of you, not a replacement (yet).
Application matters. Niche over greedy e.g focus your use.
Get involved early. No matter your size or sector, the sooner you learn, the better.
Whether human or tech, business KPIs remain the same:
Efficiency — speed to market
Quality — more content, more meaning, stronger connections
Boost — return on investment
From a technical standpoint, this could form a framework for validating AI-powered solutions for clients: measurable improvement in efficiency, quality, and ROI.
As magical as AI appears, anyone who’s built with it knows it’s far from sorcery.
The speakers stressed two principles that resonated deeply:
Domain-Specific Expertise: embedded knowledge that grounds results.
Fit-for-Purpose: outputs tailored to real problems.
Hearing that was refreshing. The hype often makes it feel like we’ve recreated God but AI is still a tool requiring a human curator. No magic. Just method, data, and discipline.
Additional essentials:
Trusted Data: accuracy, freshness, and relevance.
Transparency: traceability and accountability.
The session wrapped up with a mass workshop (50–70 participants!).
I won’t spoil the details (it was free, your loss), but the takeaways were clear:
Understand your workflow first; AI can only amplify what you already do well.
Don’t replace yourself, use AI creatively to validate or improve your output (e.g., use checklists for verification).
AI enabled a room of 70 people, many with little to no financial experience, to deliver finance-driven presentations in 20 minutes (with images and charts). 10 years ago, that would’ve been unthinkable.
As inspiring as the session was, I couldn’t shake the feeling that AI hype is peaking.
So, I asked the final question of the day:
“Can I get a quick take on the notion that we’re in an AI bubble; much like past innovation waves we’ve all experienced?”
The answer, truthfully, sounded like a well-rehearsed defense of AI optimism. But bubble or not, the practical value demonstrated that AI was undeniable.
Even if the hype fades, AI as a tool will endure, and it’s on us to define its lasting, intrinsic value.
And yes, every time they mentioned “Moody,” I thought I was being summoned to the stage. Maybe that’s what kept me alert all session.
Credit to BBS and the Moody team for an insightful and enjoyable experience!
