Joy Buolamwini: Unmasking the Future of AI

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To many of us, it might seem like recent developments in artificial intelligence emerged out of nowhere to pose unprecedented threats to humanity. But to Dr. Joy Buolamwini, a trailblazer in AI research, this moment has been a long time in the making. Dr. Buolamwini has spent decades pondering the many implications of an AI-power world—all the potential benefits, detriments, and injustices.

But Dr. Buolamwini hasn’t simply explored the potential for harm by AI; she has researched and identified real-world AI harm that has already been done by some of the world’s largest tech companies. In graduate school, she led groundbreaking research at MIT’s Future Factory that exposed widespread racial and gender bias in AI services from tech giants like Microsoft, IBM, and Apple. In her upcoming book, Unmasking AI, Dr. Buolamwini takes readers through the remarkable journey of how she uncovered what she calls “the coded gaze”—the evidence of encoded discrimination and exclusion in tech products—and how she galvanized the movement to prevent AI harms by founding the Algorithmic Justice League.

Dr. Buolamwini has educated President Biden's administration and international leaders at the World Economic Forum and the United Nations on the importance of rectifying algorithmic harms. Her work has been featured in Time, The New York Times, and the Netflix documentary Coded Bias. Now, she shares her story with us.

Join us to hear from a pioneer of algorithmic justice as she elucidates her belief that computers are reflections of both the aspirations and the limitations of the people who create them.

This program has 2 types of tickets available: In-person and online-only. Please pre-register to receive a link to the live-stream event.

If you have symptoms of illness (coughing, fever, etc.), we ask that you either stay home or wear a mask. Our front desk has complimentary masks for members and guests who would like one.

Copies of Unmasking IA are available for purchase during checkout (U.S. domestic shipping addresses only).

We welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our online programming.

Speaker photo by Naima Green.

All ticket sales are final and nonrefundable.

The Commonwealth Club of California110 The EmbarcaderoTaube Family AuditoriumSan Francisco, CA 94105United States

Joy Buolamwini

Founder, the Algorithmic Justice League; Author, Unmasking AI: Mission to Protect What Is Human in a World of Machines; Twitter @jovialjoy

Moderator TBA

5:30 p.m. doors open & check-in6–7 p.m. program7 p.m. book signing(all times PDT)

In-person:$15 members$25 nonmembers$43 members with a book$53 nonmembers with a bookOnline:Free for members$10 nonmembers$28 members with a book$38 nonmembers with a book