Liam Blackshaw-Brown was originally skeptical about the capabilities of generative AI.
鶹 a year ago, the now freshman watched as his dad leaned into the tool while building his company, . The company helps its clients learn how their brand appears on answer engines. It’s an AI spin on search engine optimization.
It was Blackshaw-Brown’s first real introduction to generative AI, and while he was curious, he also was a bit hesitant.
“I wasn’t completely against it, but I was definitely not an advocate for it,” he said.
That changed quickly upon his arrival to Daniels, as he explored the capabilities of generative AI and recognized its staying power in the business world. His interest blossomed and he’s now the president and founder of the .
“I began to see all its capabilities, and it sparked my interest in using a lot of the other models besides just chat. It was interesting to see how many of them worked,” he said. “From there, I could also see it being a tool that I’m going to need to use in the future too. So, it was a very good thing to get good at.”
In addition to founding the AI Club, which has around 20 members from majors across DU, Blackshaw-Brown spent the early part of this year running a service called AI Reverse Mentor. He offered one-hour Zoom training sessions “tailored for leaders who feel they might be ‘missing the wave’ and are eager for a fresh perspective to help them onboard into the AI renaissance.”
He worked with about 10 different experienced business leaders from around the country, helping them understand the true power of AI and how it could apply to their business.
“A lot of times, when you show people AI, it’s kind of scary. It’s too much almost,” he said. “So, I was trying to figure out a way to break it down or at least get the idea started in their mind.”
This is something he hopes to continue in the summer, as he’s well-positioned to share the potential of AI with an older generation.
Blackshaw-Brown’s interest in AI has also helped connect him with the team at OpenAI, creators of ChatGPT. He was selected as part of a small, nationwide cohort of students who worked directly with OpenAI’s community team to improve ChatGPT for educational use. As part of the collaboration, he worked with his peers on weekly prompt engineering discussions, where they shared best practices and discussed how AI could be used ethically in the classroom.
He used that connection to help land OpenAI’s Head of Product Marketing (and Daniels alumna) Coley Czarnecki as a speaker for a recent AI Club event on campus.
As he moves forward in his academic journey, Blackshaw-Brown is excited to see how AI will be further integrated with his business curriculum. He’s already been impressed with the College’s faculty and their willingness to let students experiment with cutting-edge technology. With his current focus on AI and his finance major, Blackshaw-Brown is keeping the door open to career opportunities, hoping to find something that melds both of his interests.
