by Annepeace Alwala.
In an ever-changing digital landscape, Artificial Intelligence and other technologies have the potential to transform lives, economies and even societies. It is important to note that these advances must be built upon an inclusive foundation if they are to progress. Technology that ignores diverse perspectives can reinforce existing inequalities rather than address them.
Inclusion is not only a moral imperative, it is also a strategic advantage which leads to better innovation and stronger economies. It also leads to sustainable development. Industry leaders and all participants should commit to promoting gender parity and equal representation in AI. In hiring practices, leadership programs, and workplace policies, there should be a clear indication of the equal representation in AI and technology. This is especially true for women.
The 2020 United Nations World’s Women Trends and Statistics Report states that the percentage of women of working age in the global labor market is still below 50%. This statistic shows that organisations must take deliberate actions to promote gender inclusion in the workplace.
Kenya shows both progress and challenges with regards to gender inclusivity in AI and technology. Women make up just 33% of the academic staff in Kenya and only 8% of registered engineering professionals, highlighting gender disparities in STEM fields. Women have a lower access to advanced digital services (35%) than men (65%). To ensure that AI and digitalization are inclusive and equitable, it is important to address the gender imbalance.
Kenya, as a nation, has taken significant steps in strengthening its AI ecosystem. This includes developing its first national AI strategy and emerging technologies through a multi-stakeholder consultation. Legal frameworks such as the Data Protection Act of 2019 (2019), National ICT Policy of 2019 (2019), and Digital Economy Blueprint of 2019 (2019) are a solid foundation for ethical and inclusive AI.
There are still many challenges, especially in the AI and ICT sector. Kenya’s Digital Economy Blueprint (2022-2032), and Digital Masterplan (2020-2032), prioritize the development of digital skills, but 30% of employers still see skill gaps as their biggest challenge.
Now is the time for all stakeholders to take bold actions to make inclusivity an important part of AI, technological advancement, and skill development. This includes corporations, policymakers and civil society. We can create a digital world that leaves no one behind by working together.
We at Sama are part of a team that is driving inclusivity and skills development in Kenya, East Africa and globally. Our commitment to ethical AI, impact sourcing and fair employment ensures fair employment while delivering high quality AI training data to the world’s largest technology companies.
To ensure that everyone has equal opportunities, we integrate gender balance into our core business operations. Our staff reflects our commitment, as more than half of employees are female. 40% of senior managers, and 67% of the executive team out of over 5,000 staff members are female. This is due to deliberate hiring, mentoring, leadership development, and skill-building workshop tailored for women in tech.
AI, technology and data are only as powerful and as shaped by the data and perspectives that they contain. We risk creating biased algorithms that exclude marginalised groups and reinforce systemic disparities if we don’t include diverse voices. Prioritising inclusivity ensures that AI solutions will be more representative, ethical and highly impactful. I must stress that inclusiveness is a daily process and part of a journey.
Annepeace Alwala is Vice President of Global Service Delivery for Sama, an organization dedicated to ethical AI.
