In many ways, artificial intelligence (AI) has become a part of our daily lives. From the moment we wake up and ask our digital assistant what the weather is like today, to asking a machine to suggest the best way to get to a place, and even relying on algorithms to recommend job opportunities – AI is everywhere. While AI has proven to be a great assistant and is helping us in almost every aspect of life, there’s a problem going unnoticed. Problems apart from technical glitches; problems that can affect humanity. We’re talking about gender prejudice in AI – a dark aspect of the technology that needs more of our attention.

AI: A Mirror of Our Biases

Consider this: AI systems operate by learning from large amounts of data. This data, which is frequently produced by humans, consists of our social institutions, language, and yes, prejudices and biases. As a result, preconceptions and stereotypes are absorbed by AI models like sponges when they’re trained on this data.

Here’s an unsettling example – many AI language models associate particular genders with particular occupations. When you ask certain models to picture a doctor, they may picture a male. You’re more likely to get a female figure if you ask for a nurse. These prejudices restrict our imaginations of what people of other genders can be and do, ultimately reinforcing gender stereotypes.

Real-World Repercussions

Sadly, biased AI has real-world implications. For example – the algorithms for job candidates. If they favor specific genders due to historical data, then equally qualified women (or men) will consistently be overlooked. Here’s an example of a tech giant that had to scrap its AI tool because of bias – a report found that Amazon’s AI recruiting tool disproportionately down-ranked resumes that included the word “women” or “women’s,” effectively filtering out qualified female candidates.

Extending beyond just job recruitment, data sets that lack representation from all races promote bias in AI. Take facial recognition technology, for example. Studies have shown it works less accurately on women with darker skin tones – a direct result of the datasets these systems have been trained on. These errors aren’t just errors; they can lead to misidentification, unfair treatment, and the further spread of racial inequality.

Inspire Inclusion by Taking Action

Does this mean that AI and generative AI are all that bad and shouldn’t be leveraged for our benefit? Not at all.

AI can be a wonderful assistant and tool when used correctly. With generative AI, we can and must perform better. This International Women’s Day 2024, consider these important steps to make AI fairer for all genders, but especially women.

• Spread Out the Data: Keep in mind that the data is where it all begins. It’s imperative for developers to deliberately construct datasets that are more representative and inclusive of the real world. The inclusion of more women, people of color, and people from many backgrounds in the data that powers AI is imperative.
• Diverse Teams Create Better AI: Organizations developing AI solutions must diversify their workforces. When people with different backgrounds collaborate, it’s easier to identify potential blind spots and biases. Teams with equal representation of women and other marginalized groups can help identify any biases that may have otherwise been overlooked.
• Transparency: Demanding greater transparency from businesses utilizing AI is necessary. This entails being aware of the data they’re utilizing and how they’re ensuring the fairness of their algorithms.
• Educate and Empower: Let’s back programs that inspire women and girls to pursue careers in STEM, particularly artificial intelligence. And let’s assist people in comprehending AI’s functioning and possible biases.

The Future is Fair

AI has enormous potential to enhance lives, but only if gender bias is addressed head-on. Ignoring this problem is like constructing a lovely house on an unstable foundation; someday, it will collapse. Prioritizing inclusiveness and fairness is something we owe to both our computers and ourselves.

At CloudMoyo we Inspire Inclusion through our open-door policies, more representation of women in leadership positions, continuing education programs, maternity benefits, and creche facilities. With these efforts, CloudMoyo women can feel like a whole part of the MoyoFam while balancing every other aspect of their lives.

At CloudMoyo we strive to maintain utmost transparency and security while building ethical AI solutions. One way is ensuring women are in engineering and technical roles to bring a diversity of thought to our teams and solutions. Get started on your responsible, transparent, and inclusive AI journey with us!

This International Women’s Day, let’s build our AI systems to represent humanity’s best qualities. Imagine a world where AI works for everyone, breaking down stereotypes and empowering people of all genders to reach their fullest potential. It’s a future worth fighting for.