diversity

What does human-centered AI even mean? A very meta conversation with Josh Lovejoy.

June 12, 2019 — Leave a comment
“When a system begins to remember us forever, and wherever we go…. we will not be our true selves. We will be the self we know it’s okay to remember.”
— Josh Lovejoy, Principal design manager, ethics and society at Microsoft.
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AI and Machine Learning systems are quickly becoming an integral part of how we work with, understand, and socialize with each other. Although this new technology is extremely exciting and offers a new wave of technological advancement, with it comes many ethical issues concerning discrimination, undermining human emotion, breaking social contracts and more.

Sheana Ahlqvist talks to Josh Lovejoy, Principal Design Manager at Microsoft, specializing in the Ethics and Society sector. Josh believes that human-centered design thinking can change the world for the better; that by seeking to address the needs of people- especially those at the margins- in ways that respect, restore and augment their capabilities, we can invent forms of technological innovation that would have otherwise been invisible.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL HEAR:

  • Why do corporations want to know what people are thinking and feeling?
  • Forming trust relationships using AI systems.
  • What is a design ethicist?
  • What kinds of things can impartial AI autonomous systems do better than humans.
  • How do autonomous AI systems take advantage of consumers?
  • What is predictive policing and how does it relate to AI ethics?
  • What are some examples of misapplications of Machine Learning systems.
  • What is a deepfake?
  • What is a mean opinion score and how does it apply to voice automation?
  • Josh’s opinion on how AI tools should be developed.
  • What happens when you give up personal data in exchange for a more personalized experience?
  • Who should have the authority to make consequential decisions about AI?
  • How will AI and Machine Learning systems shape our knowledge and create change for the future?
  • How do you create machine learning systems that are unbiased but still function effectively for the user?

LINKS:

OTHERS MENTIONED:

  • Youtube
  • Spotify
  • AI
  • Machine-Learning Algorithms
  • Predictive Policing
  • Google
  • Reddit
  • Terminator
  • Deepfake
  • Eric Horvitz
  • Microsoft Research
  • Google Duplex
  • Brad Smith
  • Wavenet
  • Deep Mind
  • Adobe
  • Mean Opinion Score
  • Moritz Hart
  • Kate Crawford
  • Stanford
  • Star Trek
  • Facebook
  • Meredith Whittaker
  • AI Now
  • Nick Bostrom
  • Super Intelligence
  • Joy Buolamwini
  • Google Clips

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Making Products Inclusive, the Google Way featuring Reena Jana

May 29, 2019 — Leave a comment

“There is mounting evidence that when you accelerate inclusion you accelerate growth and market opportunity.” — Reena Jana, Google’s Head of Product and Business Inclusion

How does Google make successful products when their users are infinitely diverse? Head of Product and Business Inclusion at Google, Reena Jana, shares in this episode the ways that this tech giant takes an inclusive approach to serve its users and be sensitive to different cultural norms. Reena shares how some of Google’s best products were modified and improved through inclusive design and research practices. She describes the innovative AI technology that Google is using to help with product inclusion and make the products better for everyone who uses them. She also shares with Sheana some of the challenges they’ve faced along the way.

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In this episode you will learn:

  • What is product inclusion?
  • Best practices to overcome product inclusion challenges
  • The benefits and challenges of handling inclusion on a global scale
  • How Reena forged her role as the head of product and business inclusion
  • Product Inclusion success stories and how the team develops these products
  • How machine learning in helping Product Inclusion
  • How the product development process prioritizes diversity at each level
  • Why inclusivity is valuable
  • Free tools Google offers to help product inclusion outside of their organization

Links and people mentioned

Why FinTech is failing the poor with Wendy De La Rosa

February 20, 2019 — Leave a comment

How can FinTech leverage behavioral economics to help people become more financially secure? Sheana Ahlqvist talks to Wendy De La Rosa, co-founder of Common Cents Lab, a research lab that launches and tests products to help low-to-moderate-income Americans.

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IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL HEAR:

  • What kinds of Fintech products and apps effectively help people budget and save.
  • How certain Fintech apps could be hurting more than helping those below the poverty line.
  • Why lots of common features are ineffective and undermine our interest in savings.
  • Tricks from behavioural economics that anyone can use to get their spending habits in order.
  • How the needs of those in poverty are drastically different and what product managers can do to fit their unique needs.
  • Specific ways to remove friction around SNAP benefits, tax refunds and loan repayments to help people in poverty get ahead.
  • Frequency Budgets vs. Financial Budgets
  • What dark patterns are and how they apply to Fintech products.
  • How “round-ups” can help people save money in the long term.
  • How temptation plays a major role in how people deal with their money.

Sheana and Wendy also talk about Wendy’s course: Designing AI to Cultivate Human Well Being.

LINKS:

OTHERS MENTIONED:

  • Tech Crunch
  • Forbes
  • 30 Under 30 Forbes
  • PBS News
  • MetLife Foundation
  • Uber
  • Lyft
  • SNAP Benefits
  • Ford
  • Amanda McLaughlin
  • Jennifer Aaker
  • Fei Fei Li
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Stanford University

Stereotyping Appalachia: What Tech Gets Wrong feat. Dr. Sherry Hamby

February 6, 2019 — Leave a comment

In this episode of the Innovation For All Podcast, Sheana Ahlqvist talks to Dr. Sherry Hamby, a Research Professor of Psychology at the University of the South and a Director of the Life Paths Research Center (LPRC). They talk about the role of technology in peoples daily lives. They discuss Appalachian attitudes and values, ResilienceCon and how different societies operate in a technology-centric environment.

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IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL HEAR:

  • The culture of values and skepticism that makes Appalachian resistant to technology
  • What are the attitudes and stereotypes about Appalachia?
  • How are low income regions like Appalachia portrayed?
  • How different forms of violence are shifting online, for instance Cyber bullying
  • The negative effects on relationships from technology
  • How do people feel about Privacy invasion, data protection and cyber-crimes?
  • Is protecting our own privacy equally distributed among the rich and the poor?
  • What are the differences between how rural and urban societies operate?
  • How do regulations fit in all this?
  • The importance of consent in letting technology earn the trust of people.

Sheana and Sherry also talk about ResilienceCon.

LINKS

OTHERS MENTIONED

  • Orange is the New Black
  • The Simpsons
  • Yelp
  • Amazon
  • GDPR
  • Apple
  • Facebook
  • TED Talks
  • Jeff Temple
  • Emily Rothman

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No one taught us how to work. Jake Kahana wants to change that with Caveday.

January 9, 2019 — 1 Comment

Technology can better serve humanity.

In this episode of Innovation For All Podcast, we talk to Jake Kahana, founder of Bettvr With Age and Caveday. Jake shares these two projects that look very different on the surface. In fact, they are united by a common goal: to demonstrate the social impact of technology. Discover how Virtual Reality (VR) can be therapeutic for seniors, why the typical 9-5 work day is a complete fallacy, and how to manage remote teams effectively. You’ll enjoy this episode if you are interested in VR or modernizing the workplace.

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IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL HEAR:

  • The difference between a social impact agency and cost marketing agency
  • The challenges in producing and distributing VR films
  • 2 significant limitations for senior citizens: mobility and finances
  • The Impact of Bettvr With Age
  • Physical and mental therapy using VR
  • What is Caveday?
  • How to improve your relationship to work
  • The dangers of overwork
  • How to communicate with a remote team
  • How important is establishing rules around communication, scheduling and productivity inside a team
  • 3 Things you need when you work – accountability, motivation, and support
  • Resources your team can use to increase productivity

Undoubtedly, technology isn’t just for the young. It is for all ages – even seniors. This is what Jake is proving to exhibit in his Bettvr with Age project where he produces VR films for senior citizens. Seniors can still experience places and activities that their old age won’t permit them to do and visit through VR.

We also discuss the science of productivity. Through Caveday, Jake and his team are able to organize pieces of training for individuals and companies on how to do deep work since no one taught us how to work. There are ways you can improve your relationship to work to be productive and also avoid overworking. Jake identifies specific resources you can use to support your team’s productivity and happiness.

LINKS

Others Mentioned

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