AI for Diversity, Inclusive Growth and ESG

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14 March 2022

Applying AI methodologies to improve diversity in business is just one of the themes explored in a new business guide to AI.

Authored by AI thought-leader and advisor Katie King, “AI Strategy for Sales and Marketing” poses an important question – given the inevitable disruption AI implementation will bring, how can we ensure inclusive growth and innovation as result?

"Globalisation and new technologies have deepened the divide between the haves and have-nots in advanced economics and immediate action is needed to readdress this balance of power”

–Katie King

AI Consultant

Human-Centred AI That Does Not Oppress

The book explores several critical issues facing businesspeople today and evaluates both bad and good practices seen in AI implementations.

As Katie writes: “The world is changing and the old rules are becoming outdated. The rule-makers are sometimes missing, or no longer fit for purpose. Globalisation and new technologies have deepened the divide between the haves and have-nots in advanced economics and immediate action is needed to readdress this balance of power”.

Part of the journey of adopting AI within a business setting includes challenging these “old rules”. A diverse workforce will be needed to develop future AI solutions and contribute to a setting where AI is inclusive and equal.  Additionally, AI will be crucial in reskilling the current generation with the skills needed to remain relevant.

Diversity and education are featured extensively in the book, and a selection of contributors shared their insights with an audience of peers at the book’s official launch at Rolls-Royce’s soon-to-be-opened R² Factory.

This included Lord Clement-Jones CBE, the former Chair of the House of Lords Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence and current Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Artificial Intelligence, of which King is also a member.

He explained: “In my view, AI can and should contribute positively to a purposeful form of capitalism which is not simply the pursuit of profit, but where companies deploy AI in an ethical way for a purpose. If organisations are going to retain stakeholder trust, they need to adopt an overarching ethics framework which ensures that principles such as beneficial purpose, personal privacy, transparency of use, data privacy, explainability and bias are addressed.”

Picture: a photograph of Lord Clement-Jones and Katie King. Image Credit: AI in Business

Could AI Eliminate the Diversity Gap in Tech?

Anna Brailsford, CEO of Code First Girls, a social impact company that is on a mission to eliminate the diversity gap in tech by providing free education and economic opportunities to women globally, also spoke at the launch. Anna praised Katie’s exploration into diversity and AI, and described how inclusive workforces directly impact innovation.

“Diversity and inclusion in tech can no longer be a ‘tick box’ activity. Instead, it now represents a competitive advantage for companies. This is particularly true for organisations that are developing technology, such as AI, that is likely to have a lasting impact on civilisation. At Code First Girls, we hear first-hand the impact that a truly diverse and inclusive workforce has on the development of products and culture.

“We have seen a huge interest from both Uni grads and career-switchers taking part in our Nanodegree and +Masters programmes. These programmes not only place women into roles across a range of tech companies and industries, but they also provide the skills and knowledge to go into specialisations, such as AI, and ultimate drive real action to close the diversity gap in tech.”

Speaking about the launch event, Katie explained: “Debates like this are crucial because AI is one of the most influential business disruptions we will experience in our lifetime.  The panel and attendees represent numerous industries and are at various stages of their AI adoption journey but eager to keep innovating. That is at the heart of my new book: helping to make this technology both accessible and relevant for professionals across all job functions including sales and marketing, and introducing them to vendors such as Phrasee, and to methodologies for applying AI to their business.”

AI Strategy for Sales and Marketing is available directly from Kogan Page, and you can use the discount code AMKAI20 for 20 per cent off all of Katie King’s books: https://www.koganpage.com/author/katie-king

Picture: a photograph of Katie King alongside members of her family. Image Credit: AI in Business

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 14 March 2022

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