Risks of Overlooking AI Inequalities

Unmasking AI Excerpt published by MIT Technology Review -“The term ‘x-risk is used as a shorthand for the hypothetical existential risk posed by AI. While my research supports the idea that AI systems should not be integrated into weapons systems because of the lethal dangers, this isn’t because I believe AI systems by themselves pose an existential risk as superintelligent agents. … When I think of x-risk, I think of the people being harmed now and those who are at risk of harm from AI systems. I think about the risk and reality of being “excoded.” You can be excoded when a hospital uses AI for triage and leaves you without care, or uses a clinical algorithm that precludes you from receiving a life-saving organ transplant. You can be excoded when you are denied a loan based on algorithmic decision-making. You can be excoded when your résumé is automatically screened out and you are denied the opportunity to compete for the remaining jobs that are not replaced by AI systems. You can be excoded when a tenant-screening algorithm denies you access to housing. All of these examples are real. No one is immune from being excoded, and those already marginalized are at greater risk… Though it is tempting to view physical violence as the ultimate harm, doing so makes it easy to forget pernicious ways our societies perpetuate structural violence. The Norwegian sociologist Johan Galtung coined this term to describe how institutions and social structures prevent people from meeting their fundamental needs and thus cause harm. Denial of access to health care, housing, and employment through the use of AI perpetuates individual harms and generational scars. AI systems can kill us slowly.” Read more in the full #UnmaskingAI book available today in print and via audiobook. www.unmasking.ai https://lnkd.in/efdByggM

"This report developed by UNESCO and in collaboration with the Women for Ethical AI (W4EAI) platform, is based on and inspired by the gender chapter of UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. This concrete commitment, adopted by 194 Member States, is the first and only recommendation to incorporate provisions to advance gender equality within the AI ecosystem. The primary motivation for this study lies in the realization that, despite progress in technology and AI, women remain significantly underrepresented in its development and leadership, particularly in the field of AI. For instance, currently, women reportedly make up only 29% of researchers in the field of science and development (R&D),1 while this drops to 12% in specific AI research positions.2 Additionally, only 16% of the faculty in universities conducting AI research are women, reflecting a significant lack of diversity in academic and research spaces.3 Moreover, only 30% of professionals in the AI sector are women,4 and the gender gap increases further in leadership roles, with only 18% of in C-Suite positions at AI startups being held by women.5 Another crucial finding of the study is the lack of inclusion of gender perspectives in regulatory frameworks and AI-related policies. Of the 138 countries assessed by the Global Index for Responsible AI, only 24 have frameworks that mention gender aspects, and of these, only 18 make any significant reference to gender issues in relation to AI. Even in these cases, mentions of gender equality are often superficial and do not include concrete plans or resources to address existing inequalities. The study also reveals a concerning lack of genderdisaggregated data in the fields of technology and AI, which hinders accurate measurement of progress and persistent inequalities. It highlights that in many countries, statistics on female participation are based on general STEM or ICT data, which may mask broader disparities in specific fields like AI. For example, there is a reported 44% gender gap in software development roles,6 in contrast to a 15% gap in general ICT professions.7 Furthermore, the report identifies significant risks for women due to bias in, and misuse of, AI systems. Recruitment algorithms, for instance, have shown a tendency to favor male candidates. Additionally, voice and facial recognition systems perform poorly when dealing with female voices and faces, increasing the risk of exclusion and discrimination in accessing services and technologies. Women are also disproportionately likely to be the victims of AI-enabled online harassment. The document also highlights the intersectionality of these issues, pointing out that women with additional marginalized identities (such as race, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or disability) face even greater barriers to accessing and participating in the AI field."

AI systems built without women's voices miss half the world and actively distort reality for everyone. On International Women's Day - and every day - this truth demands our attention. After more than two decades working at the intersection of technological innovation and human rights, I've observed a consistent pattern: systems designed without inclusive input inevitably encode the inequalities of the world we have today, incorporating biases in data, algorithms, and even policy. Building technology that works requires our shared participation as the foundation of effective innovation. The data is sobering: women represent only 30% of the AI workforce and a mere 12% of AI research and development positions according to UNESCO's Gender and AI Outlook. This absence shapes the technology itself. And a UNESCO study on Large Language Models (LLMs) found persistent gender biases - where female names were disproportionately linked to domestic roles, while male names were associated with leadership and executive careers. UNESCO's @women4EthicalAI initiative, led by the visionary and inspiring Gabriela Ramos and Dr. Alessandra Sala, is fighting this pattern by developing frameworks for non-discriminatory AI and pushing for gender equity in technology leadership. Their work extends the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI, a powerful global standard centering human rights in AI governance. Today's decision is whether AI will transform our world into one that replicates today's inequities or helps us build something better. Examine your AI teams and processes today. Where are the gaps in representation affecting your outcomes? Document these blind spots, set measurable inclusion targets, and build accountability systems that outlast good intentions. The technology we create reflects who creates it - and gives us a path to a better world. #InternationalWomensDay #AI #GenderBias #EthicalAI #WomenInAI #UNESCO #ArtificialIntelligence The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation Mariagrazia Squicciarini Miriam Vogel Vivian Schiller Karen Gill Mary Rodriguez, MBA Erika Quada Mathilde Barge Gwen Hotaling Yolanda Botti-Lodovico

The one-size-fits-all approach does not address ever present inequalities. Bring together more stakeholders, define fairness and equity, and develop models that achieve specific goals - specific to those demographics that need new solutions. The general deployment of #AI without the consideration of equity at every stage of development will continue to perpetuate the inequalities we originally aimed to address. "...aspiring to achieve health equity requires considering that individuals with ”larger barriers to improving their health require more and/or different, rather than equal, effort to experience this fair opportunity.” Equity does not equate to the fairness of AI predictions and diagnoses, which aspires to have equal performance across all populations, with no regard for these populations’ differential needs and processes." #healthcare #healthcareonlinkedin #artificialintelligence #healthequity

AI use in 𝗔𝗡𝗬 government is 𝗡𝗢𝗧 a partisan issue - it affects 💥everyone.💥 I am just as excited about the opportunities that AI can bring as those that are leading the way. However, prioritizing AI without strong risk management opens the door WIDE to unintended consequences. There are AI Risk Management Frameworks developed (take your pick of one) that lay out clear guidelines to prevent those unintended consequences Here are a few concerns that stand out: ⚫ Speed Over Scrutiny Rushing AI into deployment can mean skipping critical evaluations. For example, NIST emphasizes iterative testing and thorough risk assessments throughout an AI system’s lifecycle. Without these, we risk rolling out systems that aren't fully understood. ⚫ Reduced Human Oversight When AI takes center stage, human judgment can get pushed to the sidelines. Most frameworks stress the importance of oversight and accountability, ensuring that AI-driven decisions remain ethical and transparent. Without clear human responsibility, who do we hold accountable when things go wrong? ⚫ Amplified Bias and Injustice AI is only as fair as the data and design behind it. We’ve already seen hiring algorithms and law enforcement tools reinforce discrimination. If bias isn’t identified and mitigated, AI could worsen existing inequities. It's not a technical issue—it’s a societal risk. ⚫ Security and Privacy Trade-offs A hasty AI rollout without strong security measures could expose critical systems to cyber threats and privacy breaches. An AI-first approach promises efficiency and innovation, but without caution, it is overflowing with risk. Yes...our government should be innovative and leverage technological breakthroughs 𝗕𝗨𝗧...and this is a 𝗕𝗜𝗚 one...it 𝗛𝗔𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗕𝗘 secure, transparent, and accountable. Are we prioritizing speed over safety? -------------------------------------------------------------- Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer. -------------------------------------------------------------- 👋 Chris Hockey | Manager at Alvarez & Marsal 📌 Expert in Information and AI Governance, Risk, and Compliance 🔍 Reducing compliance and data breach risks by managing data volume and relevance 🔍 Aligning AI initiatives with the evolving AI regulatory landscape ✨ Insights on: • AI Governance • Information Governance • Data Risk • Information Management • Privacy Regulations & Compliance 🔔 Follow for strategic insights on advancing information and AI governance 🤝 Connect to explore tailored solutions that drive resilience and impact