Africa, Access to Opportunity, and AI – Rediet Abebe – Medium

In order for any research area to benefit all of society, it must foster the inclusion of a diverse group of researchers, especially those who have been historically excluded. About a year ago, to address the lack of representation of Black and African researchers in AI, along with Timnit Gebru, Moustapha Cisse, and others, I co-founded the Black in AI group. Black in AI is a place for sharing ideas, fostering collaborations, and discussing initiatives to increase the presence of Black researchers in the field. What started as a small Facebook group has now grown to include over 600 members from Africa, Latin America, Asia, Europe, and North America. Over 200 members are women, and we are deliberate about prioritizing the participation of African women. Members of the group span a wide range of career stages, from undergraduates to senior professors, engineers, and entrepreneurs. We work on applications of AI in health-care, algorithmic fairness, development, art and many many other fields.