New Report From NYU Outlines the ‘Diversity Crisis’ in Artificial Intelligence

The lack of racial and gender diversity among creators of the artificial intelligence that’s shaping modern life has reached crisis levels, according to a new report from New York University’s AI Now Institute.
The study aggregates research showing that women are vastly underrepresented in the power centers of AI research and development. Only 18% of authors at leading AI conferences are women, while 80% of AI professors are men. Additionally, women comprise only 15% and 10% of AI-focused staffs at Facebook and Google respectively.
Researchers also lay out a list of suggestions for improving the situation, including more transparency around hiring and payroll practices and better-established advancement paths for temps and contract workers.