What race is your AI? Obama discussion adds politics to tech

Joi Ito, Director of the prestigious MIT Media Lab told President Obama he is concerned that the core development of Artificial Intelligence technology is being built by a "mostly white" and "predominately male gang of kids." Ito's remarks were made at a recent meeting with Barack Obama and Scott Dadich, Editor-in-Chief of Wired Magazine. They don't know how to communicate with people outside of their group. Foremski's Take: Raising the issue of race, privilege and the demands of civil society in how artificial intelligence (AI) systems are designed and deployed is a political and cultural powder keg. President Obama said nothing and quickly switched the conversation to self-driving cars, and Scott Dadich did not pursue the subject.