AfroTech founder Morgan DeBaun delivered a stark warning about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on Black professionals during a powerful conversation with Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings, hosts of the popular business platform Earn Your Leisure.
The discussion focused on how AI and robotics are rapidly transforming industries, outpacing the labor market’s ability to adapt—particularly among underrepresented communities.
DeBaun, a longtime advocate for increasing Black representation in tech, urged professionals to not just learn about AI but to strategically prepare for entire industries being wiped out by automation.
“AI isn’t just coming for your job,” said DeBaun. “AI is coming for your industry.”
A Decade of AfroTech and a Look Ahead
Now in its 10th year, AfroTech has grown into the largest Black tech conference in the U.S., connecting thousands of innovators with top-tier companies across the tech landscape. DeBaun, who launched AfroTech after working in Silicon Valley at Intuit—parent company of TurboTax and QuickBooks—said her early career shaped her understanding of how quickly companies must evolve or die.
“What we’ve seen over time is that these companies are very good at evolving,” she said. “A lot of companies fail because they don’t evolve fast enough. The speed we’re seeing now? We’ve never seen this before.”
A Growing Skills Gap—and a Call to Action
DeBaun pointed to a massive gap in the tech labour market, where technical skills—especially those related to AI, machine learning, and data science—take years to develop, but companies need them now.
“There’s a hiring pace companies just can’t keep up with,” she said. “These skills can take 10 to 15 years to master. That’s one reason AfroTech continues to thrive—because the demand is there.”
She also highlighted AfroTech’s current client base of over 300 tech companies, from household names like Intel, Nvidia, and Lockheed Martin, to lesser-known giants like F5 Networks, a $15 billion company led by a Black CEO.
“These companies are all trying to figure out what AI disruption means for them. That’s why it’s not about your individual job—it’s about how the entire industry shifts,” she said.
What Black Professionals Should Be Doing Now
The stakes are high for Black communities, many of whom already face structural barriers to entry in the tech space. Debaun stressed that this moment demands urgency, curiosity, and re-skilling.
“People think it’s them against someone using AI, but that’s not the real threat,” she said. “The real threat is when the whole industry gets replaced—and you’re not even in the room where the future is being built.”
Her message was clear: the Black tech community must not only embrace innovation, but also shape it.
The Bigger Picture
Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings, who’ve made it their mission to empower the Black community with financial literacy and business insights, echoed DeBaun’s concerns.
Together, the trio painted a picture of a tech-driven future that will leave many behind unless immediate action is taken.
From investing in education and training to building pipelines that support young Black innovators, the conversation called for a collective commitment to ensuring the next generation is not left on the sidelines.
“This isn’t just about coding,” said DeBaun. “It’s about being at the center of where the world is going.”
As the tech revolution accelerates, leaders like Morgan DeBaun are sounding the alarm. The question now is: Will the community answer the call?
