Melinda French Gates, a prominent philanthropist and advocate for women's rights, is sounding the alarm on the urgent need for women's involvement in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. As the fervour for AI spreads throughout Silicon Valley and beyond, she expresses deep concern about the potential consequences of the current AI arms race and the hasty integration of this transformative technology into various products, particularly for women.
In a candid interview with CNN's Poppy Harlow, French Gates reveals her apprehension, stating, “I’m very nervous because we don’t have enough women, again, who are computer scientists, and who have expertise in artificial intelligence and without that, we will bake bias into the system.” Highlighting the importance of diverse perspectives, she stresses that the AI system must consider all viewpoints, reflects society in its entirety, and embrace a comprehensive understanding of the world.
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AI models have long been criticised for perpetuating biases, especially with regard to women and individuals from marginalised communities. The recent emergence of generative AI tools, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT and Dall-E, trained on vast amounts of online data, has amplified these concerns. Online data often reflects human biases, and some researchers argue that these powerful AI tools can now disseminate bias and discrimination on a larger scale with reduced accountability, as the responses are generated by machines.
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French Gates' comments on AI follow her renewed commitment to promoting women's participation in politics. In a Time Op-Ed published on the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, she pledged to support more women in running for office in the United States. During her interview, French Gates also reveals her independent voting approach, transcending partisan boundaries by voting for candidates from both sides of the aisle. She believes that the best policies are shaped when individuals collaborate across party lines.
However, French Gates firmly stresses that her current focus is on empowering women candidates. She acknowledges that decisions affecting women are often made without their representation. Quoting the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, French Gates asserts her belief that women should be involved in decision-making processes across all arenas.
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