AfroTech 2025 felt like a gathering of HBCUs in a scene out of “School Daze” mixed with the innovation and fashion-forward Afrofuturism of “Black Panther”’s Wakanda.
More than 40,000 people filled the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas, for five days of conversation, connection and creativity. Founded by Morgan DeBaun, the CEO of Blavity, the conference marked its ninth year by continuing to build one of the largest and most vibrant platforms for Black professionals in technology.
“The most valuable skills are being able to tell your story [and] connect with people beyond just the surface level.”
Michael Forge, Columbia University student
Speakers ranged from top tech leaders like Mustafa Suleyman, executive vice president and CEO of Microsoft AI, to political leaders like former US Rep. Stacey Abrams, whose talk focused on equity and democracy in AI. Dozens of news leaders and podcasters were recording live on site and there was a full scale television broadcast hosted by Roland Martin set up in the main lobby.
The first couple of days were geared toward students. The career expo floor was lined with booths from companies like Amazon, Dell, Netflix and Capital One. Students from universities across the country arrived dressed sharply, carrying printed resumes and high hopes.
“I think the most valuable skills, especially at a conference like this, are being able to tell your story, being able to kind of connect with people beyond just the surface level,” said Michael Forde, an undergraduate studying computer science at Columbia University.
“I think now, in the age of AI, a lot of people want to cheat their way and kind of not put the time into learning the fundamentals,” Forde added. “I think when you spend time in doing that, then it’s a lot easier to build that foundation and learn all the advanced skills.”
His classmate Demari Jacob, a Columbia senior studying civil engineering, said AfroTech made networking feel human again.
“It’s just this refreshing sense. You know, recruiting season, it can deter you,” Jacob said. “But AfroTech is a very refreshing environment that allows you to have experience with recruiters.”
Using AI to unlock creativity outside traditional pathways
Brandon Hoff, founder of AI training company Rudi AI, delivered a talk on the responsible use of artificial intelligence, a critical point as many companies navigate integrating AI into their businesses.
Around 88% of companies report using AI in at least one business function, according to a recent report from McKinsey, but 95% of generative AI pilots fail to deliver measurable impact or scale successfully, according to a July report from MIT. The main reasons cited for failure: poor alignment between AI capabilities and business objectives, weak data infrastructure and cultural resistance to change.
Hoff broke down these factors, and challenged attendees to think beyond hype and into human-centered application. Cultural integration is just as significant as tech integration, he argued.
The audience was sold: By the end of Hoff’s time on stage, he’d received an on-the-spot invitation to consult.
Among those listening closely to Hoff’s talk on AI implementation challenges was Demetrius Brooks, a multimedia producer, digital marketer and educator from Chicago who calls himself a “renaissance developer.”
“Renaissance is referring to this time now, where digital creators have carte blanche in a lot of different spaces,” Brooks said. “I’m able to create in this space, kind of breaking the rules, but also setting new rules because I was able to self-teach.”
Brooks leads a Chicago-based nonprofit called We Are Light, where he teaches youth to imagine and build with technology. He recounted his experience running a program with Apple’s Community Education initiative called Everyone Can Code.
”We had to break down the program because at-risk youth — underdeveloped youth, dealing with the digital divide — they couldn’t quite get into the process of coding, but they loved imagining. They loved trying to create,“ he said. “So we broke it down in creating interfaces and ideas and things like that, and that brought something out to the kids. It allowed us to connect.”
Brooks added, “Now with AI, with these language models, I think the excitement comes from being able to produce something immediately. …And because of my digital marketing background, I know how to sell the products that they create. And so now I bring the community into the future.”
How I got here: pathways to success
AfroTech offers him a place to learn how other executives and entrepreneurs are bridging the AI knowledge gap, he said.
“I wanted to make sure it was the case abroad, not just where I was, and I see that it is. So that means that I really have a position of leverage for our youth and to train them, because if I can fill that gap, now they can, with my guidance.”
Brooks’ reflection was one of many that illustrated how AfroTech is a gathering place that puts people at the table with each other to reimagine the future of innovation.
Showcasing accessibility innovation in unexpected places
Several major corporations showed up at the expo to recruit new hires — and some were unexpected. One company that surprised attendees was Estée Lauder, which owns MAC, Clinique, Bobbi Brown and Aveda.
The luxury beauty brand was not only there to recruit but to highlight how technology is transforming accessibility, according to Estée Lauder recruiter Scott Lepre.
The company has an app called Virtual Makeup Assistant that uses facial recognition and audio cues to help visually impaired users apply makeup with specific, personalized pointers and suggestions, he added.
“[It] might say, ‘Hey, your eyeliner is a bit high on your left eye, higher than your right eye, or your left corner, your [lipstick] is on your cheek,’ and it’ll actually give them pointers and give them visibility, if you will, to where their makeup can be corrected and better.”
AfroTech offers an opportunity to showcase some of the wider applications of technology to an audience that appreciates them, he said.
“People come up to us and they’re like, why is Estée Lauder here? And it’s … not just products, but brand recognition in this space,” Lepre said. “We are actually figuring out ways to incorporate innovation and tech into the beauty industry.”
