Indiana has become a global hub for artificial intelligence empowerment with the launch of the Hoosier AI 1000 program, aimed at expanding AI access and training.

Emil Ekiyor, CEO of InnoPower, is a contributor to the program. He spoke about it Thursday on News 8.

The initiative, developed in collaboration with Indiana Wesleyan University, focuses on providing AI literacy and prompt engineering skills to people across Indiana and beyond. The program has trained 50 certified master trainers, who are now equipped to teach AI fundamentals to communities.

The Hoosier AI 1000 program began earlier this year with the goal of addressing the lack of AI training resources in Indiana. Trainers underwent 48 hours of intensive training over six weeks, led by Chris Daly, the program’s master trainer.

The program’s reach extended internationally when Dr. Olu Manje, president of Tubman University in Liberia, requested training for his staff and students. The training was conducted virtually, with 40 staff members and 35 students completing the program.

Ekiyor highlighted the importance of AI literacy, noting that while many people use AI tools like ChatGPT, they often lack a deep understanding of how to use them effectively.

Despite concerns about the rapid advancement of AI, Ekiyor believes that embracing technology is essential for competitiveness. He compared the evolution of AI to historical technological advancements, emphasizing the need for responsible use.

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Health insurance provider Managed Health Services is using a $1.2 million investment to improve youth mental health resources across 28 Indiana counties.

18 community organizations will benefit from the investment, distributed through MHS Serves; a partnership with Black Onyx Management and the Indiana Minority Health Coalition.

The organization uses collaborative partnerships to address health inequities and the disparities caused by service gaps.

WISH-TV contributor Emil Ekiyor joined News 8 at 5 p.m. Thursday to talk about how efforts to expand access to mental health resources will not only benefit individual clients, but the community as a whole.

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A downtown event Thursday night aimed to give audiences a better understanding of the role Indianapolis had in the musical road that led to rock ‘n’ roll.

Noted author and music historian Preston Lauterbach spoke, focusing on the historical significance of Indiana Avenue in the development of American music.

Lauterbach is well-known for his extensive research into Black culture and music, as highlighted in his 2011 book, “The Chitlin Circuit and the Road to Rock ‘n’ Roll.” The book revealed that the famed touring strategy that many musicians used began in Indianapolis, not the south as many presume.

“It was invented by the owners of a club on Indiana Avenue, Denver Ferguson and his brother, C. Ferguson,” Wilkerson explained. “They became not just club owners, but promoters and agents, and provided safe passage (to) places were where black musicians could play.”

Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Fats Domino, and other famed musicians performed on Indiana Avenue, contributing to its role as, in Lauterbach’s view, a “true birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll.”

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