Designing Ethical and Inclusive AI Systems
In today’s technologically driven society, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become an integral part of our daily lives. However, the development and implementation of AI systems often fail to address important considerations such as ethics, inclusivity, and social justice. It is well known that AI algorithms can perpetuate biases and inequalities present in our existing systems, exacerbating systemic injustices.
One concerning aspect of this situation is the lack of educational opportunities for teenagers to understand the workings of AI and its socio-technical complexities. This issue is particularly pertinent for marginalized communities, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) teens. Not only are they often misrepresented throughout AI development, but they also face limited access to STEM education, exacerbating the existing disparities.
Critical Approaches to Child-Centered AI Design and Education
In response to these challenges, there is a growing need for critical approaches to child-centered AI design and education. By giving voice to marginalized youth, we can incorporate their perspectives and empower them to critique existing AI systems while envisioning more just AI futures. One approach that proves promising in this regard is co-speculative design.
Co-speculative design practices, inspired by Haraway’s Situated Knowledges and Speculative Fabulations, provide a framework for engaging youth in understanding AI’s social and ethical implications while fostering their imagination of alternative AI-driven worlds. These practices aim to dismantle the dominant techno-capitalist values that currently shape the AI landscape.
The Black-Led AI STEM Program
Our case study revolves around a black-led AI STEM program, which comprised a series of workshops over an 8-week period. Within this larger program, three 2-hour sessions were dedicated to exploring co-speculative design. Our analysis draws on various sources of data, including pre-post surveys, workshop recordings, focus group discussions, learning artifacts, and field notes.
Findings and Contributions
- Perception of AI’s Social and Ethical Implications: The workshops revealed that marginalized youth have a keen understanding of how AI systems can have far-reaching social and ethical implications. They recognize that these technologies are not neutral, but instead reflect and perpetuate systemic biases. Giving voice to these perceptions is crucial in shaping AI systems that are more inclusive and just.
- Engagement with Speculative Approaches: This case study highlights the effectiveness of speculative approaches in engaging youth with complex socio-technical issues. By encouraging them to imagine alternative AI futures, we empower them to challenge existing techno-capitalist values and envision systems that prioritize equity, fairness, and justice.
- Enabling AI Possibilities without Techno-Capitalist Values: Through co-speculative design practices, we enable youth to explore AI possibilities devoid of dominant techno-capitalist values. By fostering critical thinking and imagination, these workshops facilitate the envisioning of AI systems that align with socially just principles and serve the needs of marginalized communities.
Overall, this case study underscores the importance of including marginalized youth in the design and development of AI systems. By leveraging co-speculative design practices, we can empower BIPOC teens to understand, critique, and reimagine AI in ways that address the social and ethical implications. This approach not only promotes inclusivity and justice but also sets the stage for the creation of AI-driven futures that prioritize the well-being of all.