Tech’s Top Black Female Experts Talk AI At Brookings Panel

This December, the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings Institute is hosting a panel called “Black women in AI: Building a More Inclusive and Equitable Future,” centering on increasing diversity in artificial intelligence.

On Dec. 4, some of the tech industry’s leading Black female AI experts will convene to share their thoughts on the rise of artificial intelligence and how to build a more equitable system. 

The panel discussion, which will be moderated by Brookings Senior Fellow and CTI Director Nicol Turner Lee, will cover how to incorporate inclusivity into AI design. It will also discuss why vulnerable communities need to remain at the forefront of the conversation as the technology continues to advance. 

The power of AI has only grown in recent years, prompting new guidelines and regulations in hopes of protecting consumer interests. On Oct. 30, President Joe Biden issued an executive implementing new standards of security with hopes of ensuring Americans’ right to privacy and protection. While the technology comes with its own risks for all parties, Black people are especially vulnerable.

Majority Senate Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) recently touched on this vulnerability in a Black Media Artificial Intelligence Pen and Pad session on Nov. 15, on the tail-end of his six-part AI Insight Forum. In the session, he expressed plans to expand protections for Black Americans as artificial intelligence progresses. “We are working on building guardrails to ensure transparency, to give workers a voice, and to ensure that the AI systems not only don’t increase the inequities in society but decrease them. It’s an opportunity as well as a challenge, and I want to take advantage of the opportunity,” he said. “We’ve seen lots of deep fakes, political ads, chat boxes. Black voters are among those who have been most targeted by this, so that’s something we’re particularly aware of.” 

Still, artificial intelligence presents an unmatched opportunity for entrepreneurship and evolution. This panel will outline how diversity and equitable deployment of AI is vital to making that happen.

To submit questions, viewers can contact [email protected] or reach out via Twitter @BrookingsGov using #EquitableAI.

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