TAMPA, Fla. — A recent report shows minority-led small businesses are using AI in high numbers, citing an increased ability to level the economic playing field.

Sergio Rey is demonstrating how AI can help business owners make conversations between customers easier. It’s part of his lesson on artificial intelligence for Latino entrepreneurs.

“It’s important to always be educated because we are in a prosperous and abundant country,” Rey said.

He hosts these sessions to help calm fears and help more people understand how to use it to their advantage. Tuesday was all about how to use AI to scale a business up.

After migrating from Colombia four years ago, Rey knows how challenging it can be to understand and incorporate something new. Rey went from job to job before creating Mall Digital 360, a platform that helps make connections easier for businesses with the use of AI.

“For example, if there is a language barrier with AI, we can bridge those barriers. We can compete in a market that isn’t necessarily our country of origin,” he said.

The Latino Donor Collaborative found that 14% of Latino-owned businesses currently use AI technology compared to 7% of White-owned businesses. This comes at a time when Latinos are graduating in record numbers from engineering schools and other STEM careers.

Rey says it’s an opportunity to embrace the synergy between AI and the Latino community.

“It’s important to empower, because a Hispanic Latino person that’s empowered is a person that can contribute with even more tools in their box,” he said.

He wants Latino businesses to understand this new generation of technology, adding that it’s another way to continue to fill their toolboxes with ways to grow and scale their businesses.

The next session is being held in April.