We know the big industry conferences. CES, NRF, SXSW, Dreamforce and countless others have become fixtures on the calendars of brands and business leaders. But there's another conference that deserves to be part of that conversation: AfroTech.
Having spent time at AfroTech this year, what struck me wasn't just the caliber of the speakers or the conversations happening on stage. It was the energy throughout the conference. There was a palpable sense of community, pride, and ambition, with established business leaders, emerging talent, and Black-founded startups coming together to share ideas, make connections, and help shape what's next.
And the brands were there in force. Microsoft, Samsung, Salesforce, NVIDIA, Meta, AWS, OpenAI, Snap, McDonald's, KPMG and Intuit were among the companies represented. Their presence was significant, not simply because of the names involved, but because of what the conference offered them. It was an opportunity to demonstrate a commitment to the Black community, connect with the next generation of leaders, identify emerging talent, and engage with founders challenging how industries operate.
There was also something refreshing about the entrepreneurial spirit throughout the conference. With so many Black-founded businesses and startups in attendance, AfroTech felt as much like a place to pressure-test ideas, challenge business strategies, and build meaningful relationships as a traditional technology conference.
Celebrating its 10th year with more than 300 speakers and over 40,000 attendees, AfroTech also reinforced something that should be top of mind for every communications leader: the ways people discover, engage with, and ultimately trust brands are changing.
Three takeaways stood out.
1. The algorithm changed who gets a microphone
One of the more interesting compelling talks at AfroTech centered on the idea that the algorithm has fundamentally changed who gets a microphone.
For brands, that's an important reality to recognize. The days of relying exclusively on traditional media or a well-placed advertisement to reach an audience are long gone. Today, influence is distributed across creators, podcasters, authors, subject matter experts and communities that have built credibility with the people brands are trying to reach.
What was particularly interesting at AfroTech was seeing so many of those voices sharing the same space with established companies and emerging entrepreneurs. The opportunity wasn't simply to reach new audiences, but to create relationships with people who already have their trust.
What it means for brands:
Understand who your audiences are actually listening to, whether that's a journalist, creator, podcast host or industry expert, and consider them part of your broader earned media strategy.
Give those voices something meaningful to work with. Access to experts, original research, new perspectives or stories they can't find elsewhere.
Think about earned media more holistically. Traditional press, podcasts, creators and social platforms should reinforce one another rather than operate independently.
2. The best line on stage outlives the stage
There's a difference between participating in a conversation and saying something that actually moves it forward.
AfroTech offered several examples of how a compelling point of view can extend well beyond the conference itself.
Blavity founder and CEO Morgan DeBaun, for example, participated in a live recording of the Earn Your Leisure podcast, where she encouraged mid-career professionals to consider opportunities in cybersecurity. Her observation that people with experience in risk and compliance could have careers in the field for decades became the basis of a Forbes story just two days later.
Similarly, Bermuda's Home Affairs Minister Alexa Lightbourne used her keynote to discuss specific subsea cable projects and the training commitments associated with them, generating coverage in the Royal Gazette.
Neither example relied on broad declarations about innovation or the future. They worked because they offered something specific, relevant and worth repeating.
For communications leaders, there's an important lesson here. Conferences shouldn't be viewed simply as opportunities to secure speaking slots. They're opportunities to introduce ideas that can continue to generate conversation, coverage and influence long after the event ends.
What it means for brands:
Approach every speaking opportunity with a clear point of view, not simply a collection of talking points.
Give spokespeople something specific to say, supported by data, examples or a perspective that challenges conventional thinking.
Think beyond the stage. Have a plan to extend those conversations through earned media, creator relationships, executive social content, and other channels.
3. AI was everywhere, but the conversation is becoming more complicated
It's no surprise that AI dominated much of the conversation at AfroTech. What I found more striking, however, was the contrast between the excitement surrounding the technology and the reality that many businesses are still figuring out where they fit.
There was no shortage of founders and startups developing AI-powered products and services. But as I moved through the conference, it became increasingly apparent that many are still navigating some fundamental questions. What problem are they uniquely solving? How do they differentiate themselves from the growing number of companies entering the market? And perhaps most importantly, where does their offering fit into a much larger and increasingly crowded AI ecosystem?
That tension between technological possibility and practical business value was one of my biggest takeaways.
Several of the conference's more provocative discussions also reflected that tension.
During a session titled "The Human Cost of Smarter Systems," DAIR founder Dr. Timnit Gebru challenged the industry's reliance on AI as a marketing label and encouraged attendees to question how training data is sourced and labeled. Other sessions explored algorithmic harm, the economics of computing and the continued underrepresentation of Black professionals in AI leadership.
Collectively, these conversations pointed to a broader shift. It's no longer enough to say you're using AI or building something powered by it. Businesses need to articulate why it matters, who benefits and what makes their approach different.
From a communications perspective, that distinction is becoming increasingly important. Especially as AI-powered discovery changes how people research companies, evaluate products and make purchasing decisions, clarity and credibility are becoming just as important as innovation itself.
What it means for brands:
Lead with the problem you're solving and the value you're creating, rather than the technology behind it.
Be prepared to explain what differentiates your approach, particularly in categories where competing AI claims are becoming difficult to distinguish.
Build trust through substance. Clear explanations, credible proof points, responsible practices, and a compelling point of view will go much further than another generic AI announcement.
Why AfroTech belongs on your 2027 calendar
If there's one thing I walked away from AfroTech believing, it's that more brands should be paying attention to what's happening here.
Yes, the conference offers access to influential speakers, creators, journalists and business leaders. And yes, there are meaningful opportunities to generate visibility and build relationships.
But reducing AfroTech to a communications or sponsorship opportunity misses the bigger picture.
This is a conference where established brands can demonstrate their commitment to the Black community in meaningful ways. Where brilliant minds have an opportunity to share their experiences with tomorrow's leaders. Where companies can discover talent, founders can challenge their thinking and emerging businesses can build relationships that help accelerate their growth.
And perhaps most importantly, it's a place where the excitement surrounding the future of technology meets the very real questions about how that future will take shape.
For brands willing to do more than simply show up, there's an opportunity to be part of those conversations and contribute to the communities helping drive them forward.
That's what makes AfroTech worth paying attention to, and why it deserves a place alongside the industry's most influential gatherings.
