Virginia Peninsula Community College hosted an AI seminar Oct. 13 and as is fitting at the College, learning was stressed.
“Education is key.”
That’s what Dr. Adrienne E. Cosby, the College’s director of Business Solutions and Corporate Training, stated, and A.J. Cupp, who is with the Economic Crimes Unit/USPIS Task Force at the Newport News Police Department, echoed.
The College’s Alumni Association, led by assistant director Michelle Shonk, and Workforce Development hosted the 2½-hour event at the Peninsula Workforce Development Center. More than 50 people, representing various local businesses and organizations, attended.
Shanon Newcomb, an FBI Richmond Division special agent, opened the seminar with insights into cyber threats, cryptocurrency scams, and cyber victimization trends. He also shared resources for reporting fraudulent activity.
The second half of the seminar featured a panel discussion with Andrea Washington, senior VP and marketing executive at Bank of America; Larry Pullen, senior director of Strategic Growth Initiatives at United Data Technologies; and Cupp. All three see the complexities of artificial intelligence daily, while Cupp admits she sees mostly the negative aspects. Police departments mainly react to situations, whereas Washington and Pullen are more heavily involved on the preventative side.
AI is constantly changing and evolving, and criminals want you to react out of fear, Cupp said. Continual training and education are keys, which is why this seminar was important. It provided the knowledge needed to avoid being the victim of a scam, but it’s not easy.
“They are so good,” Cupp said of criminals, “everyone could be a victim.”
On the opposite side of that, Washington said, “anyone can be a fraudster.”
At her job, Cupp often feels as if she’s always playing catch-up. Consumers need to be alert at all times, and she does have some advice.
“Trust no one. Self-verify. It will save you heartbreak,” she said.
Pullen’s advice was to freeze your credit unless you are anticipating a major purchase, and “don’t use ‘remember me on this computer.’”
Those interested in collaborating with the College on workforce seminars, training or events can contact Dr. Cosby at cosbya@vpcc.edu.
