Leadership in AI: Inclusion is the Pathway to Trustworthy AI
Here’s a fun fact about me! Over the past 20years, I have lived in 6 different states in the United States. My most recent move was from SF Bay Area, California to my current home in New York, New York. I am often asked, which place I think is better — New York or California. My honest response is that there is no comparison between the two. Both are perfectly imperfect and yet wonderful in their own unique way.
This statement also describes how I feel about leadership, whether it’s men, women, non-binary, or gender-fluid. I am a huge advocate for women leaders in AI & technology and it’s not because I believe one group is better than the other (although I may be slightly biased in favor of women). It’s rather because every group is different, and they all bring their own unique perspectives to the design and development of these powerful technologies
Women are leaders and pioneers in the field of responsible and ethical AI because they were the first to notice that some AI systems and products weren’t designed for them. For example, Dr. Joy Buolamwini is legendary for using her own experience and expertise to analyze commercial facial recognition systems and uncovering that the results from these systems were not accurate for dark-skinned women. Our multi-year Women in AI Ethics™ project as well as research by leading scholars shows that inclusion of women and people of color in a field where they have been historically underrepresented can help build more ethical and reliable AI technologies.
This past week at the Analyst Forum at IBM in New York, my conversation with Ritika Gunnar, General Manager, Data & AI, was yet another reminder of the importance of inclusion and nurturing the next generation of AI talent.
Ritika is a fierce high-level executive at a leading tech company with an engineering degree. In an industry where many women leave the workforce after a few years, Ritika has been with IBM for nearly 2 decades. She shared an incident from her personal life, which crystallized the importance of having diverse role models in STEM. Her daughter joined a coding camp and didn’t enjoy it because she didn’t see anyone else like her. However, when this bright young one was moved to a coding camp for girls, she thrived.
“You can’t be, what you can’t see,” stressed Ritika, stressing the vital importance of having (tech) “spaces where girls can thrive.”
To build trustworthy AI systems we must start by nurturing diverse talent at an early age. Continued support for greater participation of young girls and women throughout their career journeys is crucial for a more equitable AI future. When I asked Ritika, what advice she would give women who want to build their career in responsible AI, she shared the 3 Cs.
First C is for Curiosity. Being curious is vitally important in any field, but especially in new and emerging spaces. The second C is for community. Having support of your peers and pioneers in an industry where women are underrepresented is critical for successfully navigating this new space. The last C is for continuous learning, which is vital for staying on of this rapidly evolving field.
You can watch the full recording of my conversation with Ritika below or get more of her pragmatic advice on our YouTube channel.
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