Tech Spark founder Tamar Huggins has introduced a new competitor to ChatGPT, securing $1.4 million in funding for Spark Plug, touted as an "equitable alternative to mainstream AI platforms," according to AfroTech.

TD Bank, Salesforce, The Government of Canada, NBA Canada, and the Foundation for Black Communities backed the funding.

Huggins, expressing her excitement about the achievement, stated, "There's a report out that states Black women receive an average of $30,000 throughout the entire life of their business. So to hit $1 million, let alone $1.4 million, and we're still raising, is an amazing accomplishment for me."

She said she sees this success not only as a personal achievement but also as an inspiration for other women entrepreneurs to pursue impactful goals with their businesses.

Spark Plug is an extension of the work initiated by Tech Spark in 2015, a Canadian tech and design school aimed at empowering K–12 children and teachers of colour in education. The new venture plans to reach 100,000 students in the United States and Canada through its inclusive generative AI model, according to AfroTech.

Huggins identified a need to scale their existing curriculum design and development work, leading to the conception of Spark Plug. Like ChatGPT, the platform employs a chatbot format where users can submit queries and receive tailored responses. The CEO says what sets Spark Plug apart is its specific voice, trained to respond to students' queries using African-American vernacular.

"So, typically, the way that training works for us, essentially, is that we use data from authors and activists from the Harlem Renaissance and the Civil Rights Movement. So picture it as like a foundation that we've built on our ancestors, but that also needs a voice," Huggins told AfroTech.

Huggins drew inspiration from the Harlem Renaissance and the Civil Rights movement, incorporating resources from those eras for product development. In a unique approach, she involved her 13-year-old daughter, Talia, to ensure the product caters to Generation Z.

Emphasizing the importance of Black representation in AI, Huggins stressed the need for Black UX designers, engineers, and developers in product development. She said that true technological innovation comes from diversity and a variety of perspectives.

Huggins said she sees Spark Plug as a catalyst for creating an equitable playing field for children, ensuring that resources are readily available. She also aspires for African-American vernacular to be respected and regarded, stating, "It is looking at African-American vernacular, African-Canadian vernacular, etc., as scholarly. What would it look like if scholars came out of the hood as well and were respected and regarded amongst scholars from other communities?"