It’s notable that the AI advisory council is composed entirely of businesspeople and entrepreneurs, not ethicists or researchers, which raises concerns about the potential risks and far-reaching consequences, especially for marginalized groups, given that AI is a uniquely complex and risky field. (Source: Image by RR)

Meta Under Fire for Excluding Women, People of Color from AI Advisory Board

Meta announced the creation of an AI advisory council composed entirely of white men, raising concerns about diversity and representation in the tech industry, according to a story on techcrunch.com. Despite decades of advocacy from women and people of color who have been integral to AI’s evolution, these groups continue to be overlooked in key decision-making roles. The new council, which differs from Meta’s more diverse actual board of directors and Oversight Board, is tasked with offering insights on technological advancements and strategic growth but lacks representation from ethicists or deep research backgrounds.

This development, as reported in techcrunch,com, has sparked criticism, with experts emphasizing the importance of including diverse voices to address the social implications of AI and ensure that technology serves the public’s needs. AI has been known to disproportionately harm marginalized communities due to its error-prone nature and biases. For example, AI-generated deepfakes have predominantly targeted women, leading to incidents of nonconsensual explicit content, and AI systems have been shown to perpetuate racial discrimination in various sectors.

Meta’s failure to address these concerns reflects broader issues in the AI industry, where algorithms trained on biased data continue to amplify existing societal inequities. Critics argue that the exclusion of women and people of color from AI development leads to technology that fails to consider the needs and experiences of all users, ultimately exacerbating discrimination and harm.

The urgency for inclusive AI development is underscored by the potential negative impacts of generative AI, which could worsen existing problems rather than solve them. AI’s ability to automate jobs, particularly those held by minority workers, highlights the need for a diverse range of perspectives in shaping AI policies and practices to ensure equitable outcomes for all.

read more at techcrunch.com