Deon Gordon & Austin Senseman Explore Birmingham’s Role in the AI Economy
RCB President Jeff Stone, and Rotarian Miller Girvin with Deon Gordon and Austin Senseman
Rotarian Deon Gordon, CEO of TechBirmingham, and Austin Senseman, Founder of Caravan and Birmingham AI, joined the Rotary Club of Birmingham this week to discuss how artificial intelligence is reshaping industries and creating new opportunities for Birmingham’s innovation economy. Gordon highlighted the growing momentum around events including Sloss Tech, Birmingham AI’s “What’s Next” conference, and other Tech Week programming designed to position Birmingham as a leader in AI adoption and innovation.
Senseman shared how Birmingham AI began as a small community meetup shortly after ChatGPT launched and has grown into a nonprofit organization hosting regular events and industry-specific breakout groups for professionals in fields including finance, construction, education, law, and nonprofits. He emphasized Birmingham’s opportunity to lead in practical AI adoption by helping businesses and individuals learn how to use emerging tools effectively in their work and daily lives.
The discussion also explored how AI may transform education and the workforce over the next decade. Senseman encouraged attendees to stay engaged with the rapidly changing technology, noting that Birmingham AI’s mission is to help ensure AI happens “for people, not to people,” while creating opportunities for the community to actively participate in shaping the future.
Bio for Deon Gordon
Deon Gordon has served since 2017 as CEO of TechBirmingham, Alabama's largest technology association, where he works to expand the state's economy through cross-sector partnerships. He also led TechAlabama as it partnered with Apple in 2020 to launch Ed Farm, a national digital skills initiative advancing workforce development across the Southeast.
Previously, he served as Director of Business Growth at REV Birmingham where he helped launch Reveal Kitchen, Alabama's first restaurant incubator. His professional leadership also includes roles with the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and Innovation Depot.
He's a six-time honoree in the Birmingham Business Journal's "Power 60," an annual list of the region's "most influential executives," and was recognized as a "Top 40 Under 40" by the same publication.
His passion for technology and entrepreneurship was shaped in Birmingham — but sharpened at Auburn as a student. He’s a proud member of Leadership Birmingham and Harvard's Young American Leaders Program, completing both in 2019.
An urbanist and amateur photographer, he travels to experience and understand people through the architecture, food, and folklore they create.
Bio for Austin Senseman
Austin Senseman is a serial entrepreneur and driving force in Birmingham's effort to compete and win in the AI era.
Austin is best known for starting Birmingham AI, a non-profit focused on accelerating the adoption of AI through a vibrant in-person community. In April this year, Birmingham AI's volunteers led 15 events at Innovation Depot with over 1500 participants. Birmingham AI is free and all are welcome.
Austin is also the founder of Caravan, a company delivering AI training that changes how your team works. Caravan is a team of serial entrepreneurs who are building an AI-first company, anticipating technology trends, and delivering trainings for individuals and companies or work effectively with AI.
Prior to all this AI, Austin founded and led a tech startup to $1M+ ARR (Conserv, 2019 - 2023) and led an analytics consultancy from $1M to $5M in revenue (P3 Adaptive, 2015 - 2018). Austin is a CFA Charterholder and a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis (BS Sociology) and Samford University (MS Accounting).