In this, our 60th episode (well, actually our 79th if you include the Micro Episodes), we speak to Layla Li and Sonali Sanghrajka, co-founders of KOSA AI. They are based out of Nairobi, Kenya, and Amsterdam, Netherlands, building software solutions that help companies make their AI technologies more inclusive of all genders, ages, races, and more through bias detection and mitigation.
Timestamps:
00:15 What does it mean for companies to implement software that can make their technology more inclusive and detect bias in their AI systems before it's too late?
2:25 New regulations in EMEA include fines for any AI or data misuse by companies that are not holding themselves accountable.
4:06 The upside of making your technology more inclusive is tapping into new markets that can often be overlooked due to a lack of awareness.
7:23 Today employees care about what they produce and the actual values of the company they are working for - one in six employees will quit their job rather than help build a system with AI bias built in it.
9:41 How can we know that companies are accountable for making positive progress in their culture regarding DEI and sustainable practices?
10:43 The first step towards diversity and inclusion is transparency because there are no clear metrics you could use to measure it; it's a constant conversation and improvement based on that.
15:41 Machines reflect our own bias and blind spots, and as we're correcting ourselves, we need to fix the data we add to those machines as well.
24:00 Self-reflection and the desire to do something meaningful for society drew Layla to leave her cushy job at Tesla and build technology for good.
28:00 What challenges and biases do women face in leadership roles in predominantly male environments?
35:06 Sonaly explains how their authenticity and way of doing things as female founders helps grow the company and improve their product.
38:17 How living in different countries and being exposed to different cultures exposes your vulnerability and helps you become aware of your resilience.
40:05 To make meaningful changes and use AI to improve the hiring process or product, companies must know where they stand at the moment and what they want to achieve.
44:01 Why is it important to have diverse talent and in different parts of the world to have different perspectives?
46:05 Examples of the importance of listening to the employees because executives are often not closely in touch with the problems and ideas available from all their employees.
