A few days ago we celebrated “Girls in ICT Day”. How can we move the needle on digital equality so that more women out of her 259 million people who are not connected to the internet today can log in and become not only beneficiaries of digital services, but also creators? I am wondering if I can continue. economic?
Digital technology has permeated almost every important aspect of our lives. From hearing the news first thing in the morning, to homework for school, to connecting with friends and family.
Chat GPT had over 1 million visitors just days after its launch and now attracts nearly 100 million monthly users. A few weeks ago, a group of industry leaders wrote an open letter calling for a pause in AI development for at least six months. They argue that AI technology should be implemented under strict regulatory frameworks, open and verifiable, much like medicines and vaccines are developed and launched.
AI and machine learning are definitely double-edged swords.
On the one hand, these technologies can help fight climate change. His Agronovate in Nigeria has designed smart storage equipment that keeps fruits and vegetables fresh. In Morocco, Atlan Space uses his AI to pilot drones, collect data, and conduct surveillance missions to track environmental crime. In the Sahel region, pastoralists are using AI and satellite data to feed livestock with livestock monitoring systems.
AI is also fighting backlash against gender equality.
UNDP is using AI-based algorithms in Uruguay, the Philippines, Uganda, and Colombia to track social media, monitor gender-hate speech, and signal governments and civil society organizations. This is to protect female rights advocates, female politicians and female journalists who are increasingly victims of digital violence such as cyberbullying, doxxing, trolling and flaming.
But AI also has a darker side that can deepen inequalities and harm women in particular.
Women are increasingly exposed and trapped by deepfakes and AI that generates digital images and sounds. These images and sounds are artificially altered or manipulated by AI and deep learning to make someone do or say things they wouldn’t actually do or say. The results can be devastating. In early March, Facebook and Instagram were flooded with hundreds of sexual deepfake ads featuring the face of British actor and women’s rights activist Emma Watson.
It is undeniable that gender bias is reproduced by AI technology whose algorithms are trained by biased programmers shaped by discriminatory social norms. This can be the case, for example, when women apply for credits granted in AI-based credit scoring applications, or when they apply for jobs normally done by men.
For better or worse, AI will shape the future of our world, and we need to not only harness its power, but also make sure that those most lagging behind are protected from potential negative consequences.
Here are some tips to help you achieve it.
First, we need a strong legislative and regulatory framework that can hold big tech companies accountable.
Second, tech companies need to do more to address hate speech and gender-based violence and keep their platforms safe for everyone. Globally, 38 percent of women, or nearly one in four of them, have experienced online violence. This statistic is frightening and the big tech companies including Google, Amazon, Apple, Meta and Microsoft need to be more responsible and accountable.
Third, the design of digital products, including AI-based algorithms, and how they are trained must be gender-equal in design and based on digital ethical principles. Technology must be designed with the user in mind, address privacy and security, and ensure that all people, especially women and those marginalized on the basis of gender, are protected in the digital space.
And fourth, we need more diversity in the tech industry. Big tech companies are making slow but steady efforts to increase the participation of women not only across the career ladder, but also in technical roles. On average, the world’s largest tech companies will have nearly 33% women in their workforce and 25% women in tech positions by 2022. We still have a long way to go.
Digital innovation has the potential to be truly transformative in the modern world, and there is so much potential and talent out there for women to change the landscape. Young innovators are already helping her redraw the future of AI with solutions that address today’s most pressing problems. UNDP believes that tailored support, dedicated acceleration programs and greater access to funding for women tech founders are needed more than ever. That’s why we support thousands of women around the world with flagship programs like the Arab Women Innovators Program and her BOOST Women Innovators Program in Europe and Central Asia.
Discover some of the most amazing stories of UNDP-backed young women innovators who are forever leading the way in AI.
Samar Hamdi (Egypt), co-founder of DivisionX and developer of Tuba.ai, a platform for labeling, training, and deploying AI-based applications on data with zero code. Mariam Trosian (Armenia), CEO and founder of SafeYou, a mobile application designed to reduce gender-based violence through safety and community features. Sarah Said (Pakistan) CEO and co-founder of Sehat Kahani. Sehat Kahani is a telemedicine company that connects patients with a network of predominantly female health professionals using telemedicine applications that enable real-time and instant chat/voice/video doctor visits, electronic diagnoses, and electronic diagnoses. Platform. Pharmacy, health counseling.again Salua Garcia (Colombia), co-founder of Simplifica, a technology startup that provides a mobile app that facilitates the regularization of domestic workers.
Let’s continue to support the ICT girls, young innovators who are redefining the future of AI and bringing digital equality closer.
