Hello there, I’m Suzy Madigan. I'm a human rights specialist who’s worked as an international humanitarian aid worker for 15 years within the UN and NGOs. I’ve deployed to around 20 countries from Iraq to Haiti supporting communities impacted by conflict, disasters and poverty. I've written for global affairs think tanks, newspapers and media outlets including The Independent, Huffington Post and Reuters.

This experience as an aid worker and journalist has led me to a passion for democratising AI. As I go on a journey to better understand its significance, I want to bring others along with me. I think we should all have an informed say in the development and deployment of technologies that are shaping our world. That’s why I founded The Machine Race.

My first blog explains all, including why someone with my background has become focused on artificial intelligence. Join in the conversation by following along here and on Twitter @TheMachineRace

And why a frivolous photo for such an important topic? Because if we lose our sense of humour, we lose our humanity. And those bots can be so earnest...