In the words of Elsa Halili: "When girls bring their unique perspectives and talents to the table, it leads to improved solutions and a tech industry that's more welcoming to everyone"
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Elsa Halili is a 17-year-old student from Kosovo, studying at the Digital School. She is advancing her programming skills and developing innovative projects, embodying the potential of the next generation in technology. Digital School is a partner of UN Women in Kosovo1, enhancing the skills of young girls to encourage them in STEM education. In this interview, Elsa explains the opportunities and challenges AI present in achieving gender equality.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) holds immense potential to transform societies, offering innovative solutions across various sectors. However, as AI systems become more integrated into our daily lives, it is crucial to address inherent biases that may perpetuate gender inequalities. Ensuring gender equality in AI development and deployment is not only a matter of fairness but also a critical step towards leveraging AI for the greater good. By promoting diverse and inclusive data practices, fostering transparency, and implementing robust regulations, we can harness AI to advance gender equality, empower women and girls, and create a more equitable future for all.
"AI gender bias refers to the responses generated by AI that tend to favor or lean towards one gender. To prevent this bias, it is essential to train AI models with diverse data. If an AI shows a preference for one gender, training it with data representing various genders is crucial for building confidence in AI responses. This approach ensures trust and fairness, teaching AI to be fair to everyone.
As AI becomes increasingly integrated into various activities and jobs, setting up rules to prevent misuse is vital. Transparency, fairness, and accountability are key elements of effective AI governance. We need to make sure that AI works for everyone, not just a select few.
AI can be a powerful tool for gender equality. Since AI relies on the data we use to train various models , it can help reduce gender inequalities. However, careful training of AI models and good data are necessary to avoid perpetuating AI gender bias.
My brother inspired me to enter the field of art and technology. While I did not face many barriers myself, I have heard numerous stories of girls being discouraged or underestimated in the tech world. There's this misconception or stereotype that girls can't handle it or that it's not for them. This is a misguided and damaging idea. Girls are just as capable as anyone else, possessing the skills to thrive in tech. We only need opportunities and support to prove and show this. Let's break free from stereotypes and pursue our passions without limitations.
Having more girls in ICT means increased creativity, diverse perspectives, and progress. When girls bring their unique perspectives and talents to the table, it leads to improved solutions and a tech industry that's more welcoming to everyone. When more girls join, we get better solutions. So, to all the girls out there: Tech needs you! Don't let anyone convince you otherwise. Your skills and creativity are needed in the world of technology.
1 All references to Kosovo should be understood to be in the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).