The big conversations on AI and design at SXSW 2018 Digital McKinsey

As thousands descended upon the South by Southwest (SXSW) 2018 Conference this year to catch a glimpse of the interactive industry's biggest leaders, Digital McKinsey was pleased to take part in some of the most engaging conversations in data science (Ines Marusic), design (Mahin Samadani), and artificial intelligence (Mehdi Miremadi). As in past years, Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to emerge as a key issue as businesses and consumers wrestle with its perceived value and underlying threats. The conversation at SXSW focused on how we need to rethink our processes, examine underserved groups, and be realistic about expectations of AI. We contributed to discussions in three areas of particular importance: 1) providing inclusive ways to solve complex problems; 2) expanding the skill set of empathy and design with data; and 3) understanding the nuance of AI's impact. Data scientist Ines Marusic of QuantumBlack joined a women in AI panel to discuss the impact of today's algorithms on inclusion and fairness.