Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey hosted the Horizon Innovation Summit on Oct. 8 at MetLife Stadium‘s EY Coaches Club in East Rutherford, bringing together nonprofit leaders and other experts to discuss the role of artificial intelligence and its impact on the community.
The program featured opening remarks from Jonathan Pearson, executive director of the Horizon Foundation and senior director of corporate social responsibility at Horizon; a keynote address by Jean Westrick, executive director of the Technology Association of Grantmakers, titled “AI Implementation Framework for Social Impact”; and a panel discussion, “Navigating the AI Landscape: Risks, Rewards and Realities”, introduced by Horizon Foundation board member Luis Diaz and moderated by Steve Adubato, PhD.
Panelists included Heather Staples, executive vice president of enterprise operations, business and technology solutions and chief information officer at Horizon; Nicholas Azuley, senior digital strategy manager at Whole Whale; and Michele Siekerka, president and CEO of the New Jersey Business & Industry Association.
Networking sessions and closing remarks from Uli Diaz, senior vice president of government and community affairs at Horizon, rounded out the event.
“Today’s Horizon Innovation Summit is all about AI and the use of AI equitably,” Pearson said. “We’re looking to improve as we move forward as a charitable foundation and utilize AI to help our community partners.”
In his closing remarks, Uli Diaz emphasized the impact of AI as well as civic participation.
“Where there’s change, there’s opportunity,” Diaz said, “If you listened to everyone speak today, we talked about change, we talked about opportunity.” And if you don’t seize the opportunity, then you will be changed.”
“Whether you’re a big company, business, industry … [AI is] here,” he added. “Elections have consequences. Please get out and vote regardless of who you vote for.”
