Mutale Nkonde is the founder and CEO of AI for the People (AFP). It is a nonprofit association that aims to increase the representation and participation of Black people in the tech industry. AFP uses art and culture to educate and mobilize Black audiences on the social justice implications of AI technologies.
Nkonde is a primary expert on AI and civil rights. She has helped introduce several bills to the U.S. Congress to address algorithmic bias and discrimination. Nkonde has also held fellowships at Harvard and Stanford, where she conducted research on racial literacy in tech.
AFP emphases on four main areas of work:
- AI and human rights
- AI and democracy
- AI and competition
- AI and accountability.
The organization cooperates with various stakeholders, such as policymakers, civil society, academia, and industry, to develop and promote solutions for the effective regulation and governance of AI systems.
AFP also produces research, analysis, and recommendations on topics related to AI and racial justice, such as data protection, algorithmic transparency, fairness, and oversight. Furthermore, AFP engages in advocacy and education efforts to raise mindfulness and influence policy decisions on AI.
Nkonde said that she was inspired to work on AI and racism by seeing how these technologies were affecting fundamental aspects of society. She said that she wanted to challenge the status quo and help societies shape the way AI is designed and arrayed.
AI for the People is part of the Center of Democracy and Technology (CDT), a nonprofit organization that works to advance democratic values in the digital age. CDT has been involved in several initiatives related to AI, such as the Global Partnership on AI and the EU AI Alliance.
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