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An Open Letter to Southwest Florida on the Rise of Artificial Intelligence

By Kevin Fleming, Founder & CEO of Writing.io

When my spouse and I first discovered Naples over a decade ago, we knew it was a truly special place. The place we wanted to start a life together, and build a business. In 2018, we finally made the move with nothing but a few beach chairs, our two dogs, and an idea for a product that would make it easier for people to interact with technology.

Fast forward to 2026, and along with the rise of Artificial Intelligence, a simple idea born right here in Naples is now on track to positively impact millions of people in hundreds of countries globally.

At Writing.io, we work with teams of all sizes, from small businesses, to some of the largest companies in the world, to accelerate understanding and implementation of AI in real-world environments. We've already helped over 50,000 teams and professionals across dozens of industries to better understand Artificial Intelligence.

On their quest to achieve scalability - many startups and technology companies have a tendency to overlook another area where they can have an outsized impact, focusing on their local community. With Writing.io, we wanted to take a different approach. So, in January 2025, we helped to launch the Sunshine Summit, an event that brought together hundreds of local business owners, entrepreneurs, startups, and non-profits across Southwest Florida. Through this inaugural event, we found that by bringing a diverse set of local groups together with events focused around innovation - it leads to more connections, more collaboration, and an even stronger community.

Our Pledge to Southwest Florida:

  1. We will continue to commit significant resources to supporting local startups and small businesses, including through programs that provide complimentary access to artificial intelligence models, technologies, and experts.
  2. We will be a champion for local up-skilling, learning, and technology education.
  3. We will also continue to support important local causes that make Naples and Southwest Florida an amazing place to live and enjoy for generations to come, including the complete restoration of the Everglades.

In the near future, we plan on launching a page that tracks resources and donations provided to the local causes and organizations we support.

Thank you for your support and allowing us to call Naples home.

Kevin Fleming
Kevin Fleming
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Writing.io