TechCrunch has been shining a spotlight on remarkable women who have made significant contributions to the AI revolution. One of these remarkable women is Chinasa T. Okolo, a fellow at the Brookings Institution. Okolo has an impressive background, having served on the ethics and social impact committee that developed Nigeria’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy and worked as an AI policy and ethics advisor for various organizations.
Okolo’s interest in AI was sparked by her belief in its potential to advance biomedical research and provide marginalized communities with better access to healthcare. During her Ph.D. at Cornell University, she focused on understanding how AI impacts the Global South, where a majority of the world’s population resides but is often excluded from AI development.
One of Okolo’s proudest achievements is her work with the African Union (AU) in developing the AU-AI Continental Strategy for Africa. This strategy aims to prepare AU member states for the responsible adoption, development, and governance of AI. The strategy took over 1.5 years to draft and is currently in an open feedback period, with the goal of being formally adopted by AU member states in early 2025.
As a first-generation Nigerian-American, Okolo has faced the challenges of being a woman in the male-dominated tech and AI industries. However, she has found strength in community, connecting with Black women scholars who are leading advances in responsible AI and exposing the harms of AI. Seeing their leadership has motivated Okolo to continue her work and make a meaningful impact.
For women seeking to enter the AI field, Okolo advises not to be intimidated by a lack of technical background. AI requires expertise from various domains, including the humanities and social sciences. It’s a multi-dimensional field that benefits from diverse perspectives.
As AI evolves, one of the pressing issues is improving equitable representation of non-Western cultures in AI models. Currently, most models are trained in English and on data that primarily represents Western contexts, excluding valuable perspectives from the majority of the world. Additionally, the race to build larger models has environmental consequences, leading to resource depletion and greater climate change impacts, which disproportionately affect Global South countries.
AI users should also be aware of the limitations of AI tools. Many tools overstate their capabilities and don’t work as intended. Furthermore, generative AI has the potential to exacerbate the bias and harmful decision-making observed in earlier AI tools. Improving AI and data literacy within the general public is crucial as AI becomes more integrated into society.
To responsibly build AI, developers and researchers must be critical of the intended and unintended use cases for these tools. They should object to AI being used for harmful scenarios and seek external guidance when necessary. Building and curating datasets that are used to train AI models should also be done with caution to avoid amplifying existing social inequalities.
Investors have a role to play in pushing for responsible AI. Rising VC interest in AI has led to the proliferation of dubious AI tools on the market. Investors should invest in AI expertise to vet companies and request external audits of tools demoed in pitch decks. Taking leadership positions in advocating for responsible AI development is crucial for the industry’s future.
In conclusion, as the AI revolution continues, it’s important to recognize the contributions of women like Chinasa T. Okolo and learn from their insights. By fostering diversity and promoting responsible AI development, we can ensure that AI benefits all of humanity.
