MUTEK_IMG 5: "Algorithmic Colonialism" – Rumman Chowdhury

Keynote by Rumman Chowdhury - Accenture (US
Moderation by Alexandra Ketchum - McGill University (CA/QC)

As part of the Feminist and Accessible Publishing/ Communications/ and Technologies Practices Speaker and Workshop Series.
Presented by LANDR. In collaboration with McGill University.
Wednesday, August 21, 2019 - Studios des 7 Doigts

As AI technologies are integrated in the global south, we risk repeating the problems of the past by creating extractionary industrial practices. Historically, resource-rich African nations have not seen the benefits of their riches; the 'resource curse' research highlights how these nations traditionally have high levels of corruption and poorly developed local economies.

Today's new 'resource' is data. The rise of the African Tech sector has been spurred by significant investment by industry, and in particular, Chinese AI companies. How can we use this new wave of AI development to address, rather than import, the issues that arise with the implementation of AI? How can we structure the implementation of this technology to help local African economies flourish? This talk is an early-stage review of ongoing research with Abeba Birhane, PhD student at University of Dublin.

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