You’re probably familiar with will.i.am because of his work as a musician and music producer. But it was for his work in philanthropy and as a tech entrepreneur that the Tech for Global Good presented the Black Eyed Peas founder with the James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian Award on Saturday night.
In a wide-ranging on-stage conversation with LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, will.i.am talked about his interest in technology and artificial intelligence — he’s more optimistic than fearful of the new technology — as well as his i.am Angel Foundation, which supports STEAM — science, technology, engineering, arts and math — education programs for disadvantaged school kids in Los Angeles.
“My family, we’ve been doing philanthropy in the hood before we knew the word philanthropy,” said will.i.am, who grew up in Boyle Heights. “I would be doing this even if I wasn’t successful.”
The award, presented by the Tech Interactive and Applied Materials, capped off the event attended by more than 400 people at the Signia by Hilton hotel in downtown San Jose and featured the presentation of this year’s four Tech for Global Good laureates: San Francisco’s Aluna, which makes hardware and software to help people with breathing problems; New York-based Arcade Therapeutics, which creates mobile games that treat mental health issues; Biobot Analystics from Cambridge, Mass., which monitors wastewater to detect viruses and other community health risks; and San Francisco’s Cionic, which makes a wearable Neural Sleeve device that helps people with mobility issues walk better and faster.
LATE-NIGHT LAUGHS: Actor and comedian Paul Reiser — fresh off the premiere of his new movie, “The Problem With People,” at the DTLA film fest last week — brought the house down Saturday night as the headliner of Archbishop Mitty’s Black and Gold gala. The event, titled “The Black & Gold Late Show Featuring Paul Reiser,” definitely lived up to its name, too.
Archbishop Mitty students Ryan De Marco and Jayden Brown did a nice job as late-night hosts introducing an ovation-worthy show by Mitty’s Exodus rock band, Jazz in the AM band and its Royals Dance ensemble — who performed covers by Pat Benatar, Green Day and others. (All acts well before their time, but right in the sweet spot for the parents in the audience.) Of course, all that meant that Reiser didn’t get on stage until 10 p.m. — but he sure kept the energy high for the crowd of more than 900 people during the 45-minute set.
By the way, all this was taking place at the Signia by Hilton — the same place as the Tech for Global Good — which must have kept the hotel servers busy (and helped keep the lobby bar packed until midnight).
AI ON THE BRAIN: Obviously, will.i.am isn’t the only one interested in artificial intelligence these days. That was one of the big subjects at Conversations for Good, a sold-out fundraising event held Friday at the Glasshouse in downtown San Jose to support Los Gatos’ Hillbrook School and its Scott Center for Social Entrepreneurship.
Hillbrook, which began holding classes for its new high school in downtown San Jose this year, invited Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott and Microsoft CSO Eric Horvitz to have a conversation in front of more than 200 people about AI and its potential impacts on education. One rapt observer was San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, who has been spending a lot of time recently talking about AI’s potential in San Jose.