In a field as expansive as AI: diversity, equity, and inclusion are becoming more important day by day due to the risk of biased data and the repercussions it has on society.
While artificial intelligence is often boiled down to machines and numbers, it’s important not to forget the very human side of data and processing.
DIVERSE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS IN AI
The world produces an exponential amount of data every day, prompting an increased need for companies to structure and analyze this information. As the world of business adjusts to tackle these needs and employ more specialized workers, it’s time for companies to look beyond traditional hiring methods like crowdsourcing and explore the possibilities of new and more inclusive workforce solutions.
The field of AI is predominately white and male. In fact, only 2.5% of Google’s workforce was black in 2015, reflecting a greater lack of diversity in tech as a whole. The AI Now Institute has even called this employment inequality a “diversity disaster“.
This lack of diversity becomes an even bigger problem when we consider the role data processing has in informing society’s systems and tools. Data scientists and growth managers at large B2B and B2C AI companies need a cost-efficient workforce to help them maximize their data’s potential. On the other hand, financial institutions are being exposed to more data each day and need workforce solutions for streamlining and deriving insight.
Data is quickly ingraining itself in society. But diversity in data is an afterthought.
Luckily, workers with the right skillset can be found all over the world.
Every day that passes, it becomes increasingly more difficult to solve this diversity problem before it reaches a tipping point. As AI gradually integrates into society, it’s important for companies to make increased diversity a top priority. Luckily, workers with the right skillset can be found all over the world.
For example, Werkit’s digital ecosystem helps companies meet the increased demand for data solutions by harnessing Zambia’s growing labor force. While our workforce solution helps companies fulfill their routine data tasks, our full end-to-end product helps skilled youth workers in Zambia achieve financial independence. Our ecosystem helps you make those data connections while also ensuring that you can support and pay diverse workers fairly.
We won’t solve the issue of diversity in AI in a single day, but by diversifying talent pipelines and investing in new workforce solutions around the world, we can confront the issue head-on and bridge the gap between talent and job opportunities. Especially in a field as important as AI, where data processes can drive massive impact for other companies and our communities as a whole, diversity cannot be an afterthought.
It is essential.