Can artificial intelligence be feminist as calls against inclusivity grow?
A few concepts arguably dominated remarks at the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris this February: inclusivity, ethics and deregulation. Debates about these themes, complimentary for some but conflicting for others, will have a significant impact on whether the technology can or will be used to address societal ills, including gender inequality. While the French government highlighted its pursuit of inclusive, open and safe AI, some of the world’s biggest leaders in technology, including the US and the UK, refused to sign the joint declaration vowing to do the same. With the White House both ideologically opposed to such objectives and even linking them to stifled innovation, is it possible to use artificial intelligence as a tool to pursue gender equality? Erin Ogunkeye spoke to Dr. Eleanor Drage, senior research fellow at the University of Cambridge and Zinnya del Villar, Director of Data, Technology and Innovation at Data-Pop Alliance.
