By Organ Mountain News on May 26, 2026

Las Cruces forum to explore how AI is reshaping small business operations

An NMBorderplex forum in Las Cruces will focus on how artificial intelligence is changing operations, hiring and competitiveness for small businesses.

Promotional graphic for the NMBorderplex initiative, which is hosting a June 2 forum in Las Cruces focused on artificial intelligence and small business operations. (Courtesy image / Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance)

NMBorderplex event will examine how artificial intelligence is changing hiring, marketing, customer service and decision-making for regional businesses

Organ Mountain News report

LAS CRUCES - Regional business and academic leaders will gather in Las Cruces next month for a forum focused on how artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape small business operations across southern New Mexico and the Borderplex region.

The “AI & Small Business: Why It Matters Now” forum is scheduled for June 2 at Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces and is hosted through the NMBorderplex initiative powered by the Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance.

According to organizers, the discussion will focus on how AI tools are increasingly being used in:

customer service
marketing
hiring
operations
and business decision-making.

The event description argues that artificial intelligence is “no longer just for large tech companies” and says small businesses are facing growing pressure to understand how the technology could affect competitiveness and long-term growth.

The forum will also explore what organizers describe as “the risks of falling behind” as AI adoption accelerates across industries.

Panelists include New Mexico State University College of Arts and Sciences Dean and Senior Adviser for AI Enrico Pontelli and local AI consultant Jerry Prochazka, founder and CEO of Strategy & The Machine.

Pontelli currently chairs the New Mexico AI Consortium and has led multiple large-scale research initiatives involving computer science, artificial intelligence and technology development, according to event materials.

Prochazka’s consulting work focuses on helping small and medium-sized businesses integrate AI tools into daily operations “where it fits in their operations, where it doesn't, and how to translate the technology into measurable value,” according to the forum description.

The event is sponsored by El Paso Electric and includes participation from economic development, education and infrastructure organizations across the region.

Organizers said the forum is intended to make AI more approachable for businesses that may not have technical expertise or formal training but are increasingly encountering the technology in everyday operations.

The event is scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 2 at Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces. Registration closes May 29. Tickets are available online for $30.

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