In a recent Q&A for Light Reading’s Women in Comms Mentor Monday column, Microelectronics Chip Pioneer Envisions Techno-Social Innovation, Lynn Conway, IEEE Life Fellow reflects on the importance of diverse perspectives particularly in a predominately male workforce in the technology sector. As more algorithms drive autonomous systems it is important to realize the biases that are being coded into them and to include a wider perspective in the technology development. In her Q&A she covers her thoughts on game-changing technologies, Silicon Valley’s “brotopia,” industry’s “techno-social systems” and more.
To create technology for the benefit of humanity, we will begin to see experts in fields outside of STEM such as philosophy and art play a role in building the algorithms powering future autonomous systems. These diverse players will help shape “techno-social” systems of tomorrow.
Lynn recently provided insight on this topic at the annual SXSW Conference, 9-18 March 2018 in Austin, TX. The session, Algorithms, Unconscious Bias & AI, was included in the IEEE Tech for Humanity Series at SXSW.