Why Diversity In AI Is So Important

Harvey Mudd computer science professor Jim Boerkoel works with a student in his robotics lab, where ... [ ] he focuses on using AI to develop human-robot teamwork. The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence from facial recognition and self-driving cars to understanding human speech is having a major impact on business and society, which is why the lack of diversity among the people developing AI tools is so troubling. A recent study published by the AI Now Institute of New York University concluded that a "diversity disaster" has resulted in flawed AI systems that perpetuate gender and racial biases. The report found that more than 80 percent of AI professors are men and only 15% of AI researchers at Facebook and 10 percent of AI researchers at Google are women. The numbers reflect a larger issue facing the computer sciences where, in 2018, less than 25 percent of PhDs were awarded to females and/or minorities, who are historically underrepresented in computing. Industry and academia are taking steps to increase diversity among AI researchers through steps designed to ensure that future technology benefits all people and not just a homogenous group of white males.