Many companies are grappling with artificial intelligence — how to integrate it for maximum efficiency, and how to use it in an ethical fashion. Ethics in AI is just one of the many topics that will be discussed during L.A. Tech Week, which starts Monday.
Hundreds of events have been planned around the county, most of which require registration in advance.
The ethical AI roundtable will take place on Tuesday, hosted by the Artemis Fund. The panelists have not been revealed yet, but the overarching conversation will revolve around helping companies shape their AI strategies and establish ethical practices for this emerging technology.
There will also be some interactive experiences throughout the week, as more gaming companies are participating this year, including a Games Speedrun Demo hosted by venture capital firm A16Z on Thursday.
And there will be some female-centric events, focusing on female founders and female-focused consumer brands. These will include a Women’s Health Happy Hour in Venice on Monday hosted by Amboy Street Ventures and a Women in Tech Beach Walk in Santa Monica on Tuesday.
Kristen Shea, president of Society22 PR, which is hosting a Pitches and Press event on Thursday, said the weeklong event is evidence that the “L.A. tech scene is thriving, innovation and creativity is at an all-time high, and there is a lot of opportunity in the ecosystem.”
That sentiment is buttressed by numbers from Carta that show that the $7.2 billion in total funding raised in 2022 in L.A. far outpaced the $5.3 billion raised in 2020 and $4.7 billion raised in 2019.
Across Q4 2022 and Q1 2023, L.A. was the fifth-busiest county for venture in the U.S., with more than $1.8 billion in capital raised. Within that time frame, gaming startups garnered a significant chunk of funding in L.A. County — 12%, which was the highest percentage in any of the top 15 counties.
And while L.A. hasn’t been immune to the contractions in venture funding, the market experienced a less severe drop relative to bigger tech hubs. While startup investment in L.A. County declined by 39% from the previous six months, San Francisco County was down 59%.
