April 1 is a pranker’s paradise, and Emporia Main Street — not known for its pranking abilities — had one that generated a lot of interest Wednesday, even if at least some of it was tongue-in-cheek.
Director Casey Woods says Main Street developed an elaborate setup touting human clone production through its Fab Lab, complete with a four-phase replication and integration process, ethical safeguards and potential side effects. The plan was done in jest, but Woods says it highlights ongoing work with Emporia State University on a rapidly-developing topic: artificial intelligence.
While AI is getting a bad reputation in several ways, Woods says AI can be useful in a business setting — depending on how it’s used.
Woods also says this highlights the work of the Fab Lab, which seems to get busier by the week. Woods sees two general categories of interest.
This also brings attention back to the FORGE grant announced last year as a $750,000 partnership between Main Street and ESU. Woods says the grant lets Main Street do more outreach with existing businesses about various resources.
FORGE was designed to increase access to technology, develop local and regional partnerships and use ESU classes to develop entrepreneurial skill sets. Woods expects “some interesting jobs created and business types created” through the partnership over the next few years.
More information about the Fab Lab and FORGE — not about clones — is online at emporiamainstreet.com.
