AI development's lack of diversity is instilling biases within artificial intelligence systems
In the rapidly growing field of Artificial Intelligence (AI), efforts to increase diversity, particularly among women, Black, and Hispanic individuals, are facing obstacles as government policies shift away from emphasising diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
According to a UNESCO report, the number of women working in AI increased by just 4% globally from 2021 to 2024, while Black workers hold about 8% of the technical AI jobs, compared with nearly 12% of US jobs overall. Hispanics hold about 9% of AI technical occupations, compared with more than 18% of US jobs overall.
Tess Posner, CEO of AI4ALL, believes that a diverse AI workforce is crucial for creating solutions that are more relevant to a wider range of people. She argues that when people from diverse backgrounds help shape AI, they're more likely to identify different needs, ask different questions, and apply AI in new ways.
However, recent global initiatives to increase diversity in the AI workforce, such as university fellowship programs, corporate diversity hiring initiatives, scholarship funds for underrepresented groups, and networking/mentorship platforms, are not substantially detailed in the latest public AI policy releases. The 2025 U.S. White House AI Action Plan, for instance, primarily focuses on accelerating innovation, building AI infrastructure, and leading international AI diplomacy and security.
The plan notably moves away from emphasising diversity, equity, and inclusion in its framework. For example, it revises the National Institute of Standards and Technology's AI Risk Management Framework to remove language related to DEI considerations, and it stresses a focus on "objective truth" and "ideological bias" without directly promoting workforce diversity initiatives.
Outside of U.S. federal policy, many private tech companies, non-profits, and international organisations continue to run initiatives aimed at increasing diversity in AI. These typically involve scholarships and internships for women and underrepresented minorities, AI training and education programs targeting Black, Hispanic, and female students, partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic-serving institutions, and industry coalitions promoting inclusive hiring and workplace culture.
One such individual is Maya De Los Santos, an Afro-Latina woman with degrees in computer and electrical engineering. She is interested in a career in AI to protect marginalized communities from AI risks and ensure they understand its benefits.
In the past, companies like Amazon.com have faced challenges with AI recruiting tools that favour one gender over another. Amazon scrapped an AI recruiting tool that favoured men over women, as it had been trained to vet applicants by observing patterns in resumes submitted to the company over a 10-year period, which were mostly from men due to the preponderance of men in the industry.
Safiya Noble, a professor at the University of California Los Angeles, worries that the government's attack on DEI will undermine efforts to create opportunities in AI for marginalized groups. She notes that companies from Goldman Sachs to PepsiCo have halted or cut back diversity programs due to the backlash against DEI.
As the AI field continues to grow, it remains to be seen how these shifts in government policy will impact efforts to increase diversity and inclusion in the industry. However, it is clear that the private sector, non-profits, and international organisations remain committed to these initiatives, offering scholarships, internships, training programs, and partnerships to support underrepresented groups in the field.
- The lack of focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the latest public AI policy releases, such as the 2025 U.S. White House AI Action Plan, raises concerns about the future of promoting diversity in AI.
- The private sector, non-profits, and international organizations continue to prioritize diversity in AI, with initiatives including scholarships, internships, training programs, and partnerships aimed at supporting underrepresented groups.
- Tess Posner, CEO of AI4ALL, stresses the importance of a diverse AI workforce, as it leads to solutions more relevant to a wider range of people.
- Efforts to increase diversity in AI face obstacles as government policies shift away from emphasizing DEI, such as the revision of the National Institute of Standards and Technology's AI Risk Management Framework to remove language related to DEI considerations.
