How Greensboro Leaders Are Building AI Fluency

Recently, when more than 120 Greensboro professionals gathered for Action Greensboro’s “AI Fluent in a Day” workshop, only a handful said they’ve built their own AI chatbot. But when the workshop was over, nearly every participant walked out with AI tools they’d created themselves.

Led by Dr. Mustafa Akben, Assistant Professor of Management and Director of Artificial Intelligence Integration at Elon University, and his team, the professional development session addressed one of the most pressing workforce challenges identified in Action Greensboro’s 2025 Talent and Workplace Survey: AI is no longer a buzzword in Guilford County workplaces.

“Our survey respondents told us that AI is here — embedded in data analytics, automation and customer service operations,” says Cecelia Thompson, Executive Director of Action Greensboro.  “This workshop made sure that professionals at all levels, across all sectors, have the tools they need to thrive in an AI-enabled workplace.”

What made this workshop different was its practical, hands-on approach. Akben showed the audience how AI can help generate reports, create presentations, analyze data and produce content. And he didn’t sugarcoat the workplace implications of AI adoption.

“AI is the new baseline,” Akben says. “Your boss will say, ‘I can do this project with AI,’ so you have to make the output better with your human-level skills. What are you bringing to the table?”

Rather than positioning AI as a replacement for human workers, Akben introduced the concept of “co-intelligence,” living and working alongside AI as a collaborative partner. He encouraged participants to use AI strategically: generate ideas, improve efficiency and offload mundane tasks.

“The more you practice with it, the more you see the benefits,” Akben says. “Use AI to advance different parts of your work. You don’t have to use it for everything. Protect the work that’s meaningful for you. Keep the work that requires creativity, critical thinking and personal connection.”

Akben positioned workshop participants not just as AI users, but as leaders who will shape how AI is deployed in their organizations and community.

“You can direct our investment and attention into AI,” Akben says. “We can demand equity, accessibility, privacy, and ethical and responsible uses. It’s our future.”

5 Local Leaders Share Their Thoughts on the Workshop

Throughout the day, we talked to several participants about how they’re using AI and what they learned from the workshop. Here are a few responses:

Heather Renshaw, Chief Advancement Officer, Family Service of the Piedmont

“The workshop provided a lot of ‘aha’ moments on how AI might be useful in my workplace. It spurred me to think about how using AI on small to medium-sized tasks could be helpful.”

Raven Jefferson, Partnership Development Manager, High Point Schools Partnership

“Developing my own AI tool was the most interesting and valuable part of the workshop. It allowed me to apply what we learned in a hands-on way and see the potential of AI in real-time.”

Cassie Dean, Director of Communication & Outreach, Guilford County Partnership for Children

“We are preparing children for a future that will center around AI as a source of growth and knowledge. It is our responsibility to learn to use AI and create a world that is safe, healthy and prepared to handle these changes in learning and development.”

Sarah Hintze, Account Supervisor, Our State Magazine

“AI is constantly evolving, and I believe it’s my responsibility to stay updated on its capabilities and how it could apply to my role and business.”

Dana Clukey, Senior Planner, City of Greensboro

“There are so many benefits to using AI and the opportunities evolve every day. The biggest benefit to me is the time savings that it can offer, but it also helps me think outside the box and spurs my creativity.”

By Jessica Levco