Treading Lightly Appears to be the Trend 

AI’s time might have come—but the clock hasn’t struck yet in this part of the state. At least, not yet. The question right now, at least as concerns Mississippi Delta businesses, is not are you using Artificial Intellingence in your operations—but why aren’t you? 

Ted Connell, a partner with the Clarksdale-based law firm, Merkel and Cocke, P.A. is a prime example of the hesitancy.

“We use AI for rudimentary research, to assist with deposition preparation, and to prepare form letters, but we are careful using it for research in briefs, as lawyers have gotten in trouble for not checking the research AI cites to make sure it is correct as AI will make up things,” says Connell.  “In other words, AI will cite cases that do not exist.  We are still learning how all AI can be used, but I think, like most technology, it is going to be very helpful as it progresses.”     

On the other hand, Sean Johnson, Director of Tourism for the Cleveland-Bolivar County Chamber of Commerce says he fed the question of Delta businesses using the tool actually through AI and the results are below! (With his guidance and editing, of course).

“For most businesses, I think that there are a few ways that we need to view AI: generally, strategically, and tactically,” says Johnson (or AI).

“In general, AI is a civilization-changing event. There will be before AI and after AI. Right now, we are in between. But, in less than two decades, the world will be a different place not because of what we know as AI now, but because of everything else that AI will allow through complementary technology: robotics, holographics, trading and finance, transportation and logistics, entertainment, and education. Every sector of our economy and culture will be impacted. 

“So, strategically, we must understand that seismic changes are coming. While we can’t predict what it will all look like (especially in sectors we don’t work in), we must anticipate the changes that will impact our industries. In tourism, and in marketing in general, we’ve been relying on search engine marketing for the past couple of decades,” says Johnson. 

“However, now search engines are becoming obsolete with more and more people going straight to AI for answers. So, one thing we’ve been doing is making sure that AI has the answers that favor us. Rather than search engine marketing (SEO), we are pushing into AI marketing (AIO), which relies much more on impressive information like user generated content, social sentiment, reviews and so forth. There’s a new saying that while people may not be reading your blogs, AI absolutely is. This is a new technology, so we’re learning our best practices, but the results so far have been promising,” says Johnson.

Johnson has been an avid user—and proponent of AI. For personal use and for Chamber work.

“In terms of a tactical view of AI, we’ve been using it for everything from copywriting to image creation to digging into data,” he says. “An analysis of statewide tourism spending data may have taken me a day or two in the past, and now it takes me less than two minutes. Presentations, blog posts, sentiment studies, responses to visitor queries are all easier, simply by using the currently available AIs. As we speak, people are using AIs to create AI agents which can automate many of these functions…these new tools are coming on daily.”

Daniel Boggs, CEO of the Greater Greenville Development Foundation, Inc. says of AI, “At the most recent conference I attended, one of the speakers discussed a future, possible as early as 2035, whre we could have all digitial ‘clones’ or AI agents handling rountine communications, such as responding to emails or even attending virtual meetings on our behalf.

“While that might sound still somewhat futuristic, we’re already witnessing early examples of this today with AI-powered meeting assistants and note-takers like Otter.ai and Zoom’s AI Companion,” adds Boggs. “The overreaching message was clear—rather than fearing AI, we should should embrace it as collaborator that works alongside us, not as a replacement for human workers, but as an enhancer of human potential.

“Many Mississippi businesses, especially in rural areas like the Delta, haven’t adopted AI due to limited awareness, perceived complexity, or lack of access to affordable training,” states Kollin R. Napier, Ph.D., Director of the Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Network (MAIN). “That’s starting to change. MAIN, based at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, has partnered with every public college in the state—including Delta State, Mississippi Delta CC, and Coahoma CC—to expand access to AI education. With strategic investment from AccelerateMS, these institutions have launched AI labs. Free online courses provide a strong foundation in how AI works and how it can be applied. These resources help Delta businesses begin using AI to save time, cut costs, and make smarter decisions in areas like retail, farming, banking, and logistics.”

Are other states or areas using AI in the business world? “Yes, and at a rapid pace,” answers Napier. “States like Texas, North Carolina, and Georgia are integrating AI into everyday business operations across sectors such as healthcare, logistics, and manufacturing. But Mississippi is not falling behind. Through MAIN, we have taken a first-of-its-kind, statewide approach to AI education and workforce development. Delta institutions are not just participating in this work, they are leading it. That means innovation is not just happening in urban hubs—it is being driven from the Delta as well.”

AI does not have to mean job loss, states Napier. “In most cases, it means job shift. Just like the introduction of tractors did not eliminate farming, AI changes how we work, not whether we work. AI is a tool, not a replacement for people. MAIN’s focus is on training and upskilling Mississippians so they can use AI as a tool and a career asset. Through courses offered at Delta-based institutions, we are making sure workers are empowered to adapt and succeed, not replaced.”

When asked what he had found to be the biggest or most common misconceptions and trepidations about using AI, Napier says, “The most common misconception is that AI is only for big tech companies or people with advanced degrees. That is not true. AI is already part of tools people use every day, such as Excel, email filters, smartphones, and online banking. What many people fear is not the technology itself, but the feeling that it is out of reach or not meant for them. MAIN exists to counter that. Through our partnerships, we are embedding AI directly into local classrooms and workforce programs to make it practical, visible, and approachable for all Mississippians.

“AI is becoming as essential as the internet was twenty-five years ago. Businesses will not be legally required to use it, but in practice, those that do not will struggle to stay competitive. We are already seeing this shift happen in real time. Microsoft 365 now includes Copilot, an AI assistant integrated into Word, Excel, and Outlook. Google has introduced AI-generated summaries directly into search results. Even Facebook now includes Meta AI, helping businesses create content and respond to customers,” says Napier.

“That’s especially important in the Delta, where many rely on social media to reach their communities. These tools are already part of business workflows whether people realize it or not. The good news is that MAIN and our partners in the Delta are preparing businesses and workers now, so they can use these tools with confidence and take advantage of what AI offers,” he adds.

AI gives small businesses tools to save time, cut costs, and make smarter decisions, claims Napier. “In the Delta, a shop in Indianola, for instance, can use AI to track inventory and reorder products automatically. A restaurant in Greenwood can use AI to reply to Facebook messages, take reservations, or send daily specials—all without extra staff.

“For small teams, AI acts like an extra set of hands. It can answer common customer questions, organize schedules, and send reminders. MAIN is training local students and workers, so businesses don’t have to look outside the Delta for support. That’s what we mean by homegrown capacity: neighbors using AI to help neighbors,” he says.

And as far as AI usage in the ag business, Napier says it’s here now.

“Agriculture is one of the sectors most ready for AI, and the Delta is one of the regions already prepared to benefit from it. Farmers are using AI to monitor soil health, detect pests through drone imagery, optimize irrigation, and predict yields. MAIN is partnering with ag programs across Mississippi to integrate these tools into workforce training,” he says. AI in agriculture isn’t just being adopted in the Delta—it’s being built into the way we train, work, and grow. That puts the Delta not just in the conversation, but in a leadership role as this AI revolution continues.”

And, as Sameer Chawla, President of Chawla Pointe LLC based in Cleveland points out, “Most people are already using AI anyway without them even having explicit knowledge of doing so,” as on META and Gmail.

Chawla says his hotel group is not using A1 widely now, except for some guest satisfaction communication and surveys, but that he does think it’s inevitable that all businesses will have to incoporate it at some point.

“Yes, it might be five years from now, or perhaps even sooner—but I do think AI usage will be commonplace and perhaps even mandatory in the future,” he says.