Artificial Intelligence: Implications and Impacts on Black Entrepreneurial Ecosystems

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly spreading across society. It is disrupting economies, traditional institutions, labor markets, and entrepreneurial ecosystems and will do so at an increasing pace over the next few years. In this conceptual paper, some of the emerging issues, implications and growing impacts of AI on Black entrepreneurial ecosystems—both positive and negative—are discussed. Prior research has demonstrated that Black entrepreneurs face significant challenges within the ecosystems in which they operate. While AI offers the potential for great improvements to productivity, efficiency, and profitability, it is not a foregone conclusion that Black entrepreneurs will equally benefit from these gains. Following a brief discussion of AI’s growing influence on society, this paper focuses attention on how AI is and will continue to improve Black entrepreneurial ecosystems as well as potential negative outcomes that must be considered. Nine formal research propositions are offered. While this paper is based on a review of the literature, it is not meant to be comprehensive. Rather, it is one of the first papers to identify emerging trends, open dialogue, outline practical implications and propose future research directions for further study with respect to AI and Black entrepreneurial ecosystems.