On this episode of Hard Knock Radio, host Davey D sits down with X. Eyee, one of todays leading voices in artificial intelligence ethics, policy, and responsible tech. With a career that spans Microsoft, Google, the U.S. Department of Defense, and now CEO of consulting firm Malo Santo, X. Eyee has seen AI from every angle”and theyve made it their mission to break the jargon down for everyday people.

AI: Superhero and Supervillain

X. Eyee lays it out clearly: artificial intelligence is both saving lives and endangering them. Its diagnosing cancer earlier than doctors and predicting floods before they happen. But its also writing police reports that hallucinate facts, supercharging ICE surveillance, and fueling toxic data centers often placed in Black and Brown communities. What AI becomes, Eyee insists, depends on what we do in the next 18 months to set boundaries.

Whos Behind the Wheel?

AI is like a car, Eyee explains. Not inherently bad”but dangerous in the wrong hands. Corporate fiduciary duty pushes companies like Google and Meta to chase ad revenue instead of community benefit. But the rise of open-source AI means people can build tools on laptops or even phones without feeding giant data centers. That shift opens the door for community-based problem solving”if we choose to seize it.

Reclaiming Imagination

Davey D pushes back on how corporations limit imagination, turning users into passive consumers. Eyee responds with real-world solutions:

AI that gives court defendants Uber credits to make hearings.

AI that generates culturally relevant reading material for classrooms.

Indigenous creators fine-tuning models to preserve endangered languages.

These examples underscore a bigger point: the people closest to the problems are the ones who should be shaping the solutions.

Breaking Digital Addiction

Eyee also calls out digital drugs. Swipe-up feeds and short-form content are intentionally addictive. Companies dont care about well-being, only attention extraction. The challenge is intentionality”digital detoxing, redirecting our attention, and building tools that feed our communities rather than drain them.

From Richmond to Google

Sharing their personal journey”from Richmond to the military, to coding in Afghanistan, to shaping AI ethics inside Google”Eyee shows how persistence and imagination can shift the field. Their work even changed the way Googles cameras recognize Black and Brown skin tones, updates that now impact millions of devices and body-worn cameras.

Whats Next: Hackathon in Richmond

Before wrapping, Eyee invites the community to a free hackathon in Richmond:

” Saturday, September 20th

Participants will team up with developers to learn prompt-to-app tools and build solutions for real community needs. Beginners are welcome, and prizes will be awarded.

Follow X. Eyee on socials: @TechWithX Hard Knock Radio is a drive-time Hip-Hop talk show on KPFA (94.1fm @ 4-5 pm Monday-Friday), a community radio station without corporate underwriting, hosted by Davey D and Anita Johnson.

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