Kak discusses the challenges of navigating the male-dominated tech industry, emphasizing the need to address the structural inequalities and power imbalances in the industry. She advises women and other marginalized identities seeking to enter the AI field to stand their ground and challenge the status quo, as they have as much say in the future of AI as anyone else. She believes in the power of regulation and advocacy to shape the trajectories of tech to serve public interests.
Key takeaways:
- TechCrunch is launching a series of interviews focusing on remarkable women who’ve contributed to the AI revolution, including Amba Kak, the executive director of the AI Now Institute.
- Amba Kak has been working on technology policy for over a decade and is concerned with how data-driven technologies and economies impact society.
- She is most proud of the 2023 AI Landscape report, which diagnosed concerns about the AI economy and offered an action-oriented manifesto aimed at the broader civil society community.
- Kak advises women and other minoritized identities seeking to enter the AI field to stand their ground, as the industry often attempts to discredit critique, especially from non-STEM backgrounds.