AI scientist, entrepreneur, and investor Rana el Kaliouby is worried that AI could become another “boys’ club” in the tech industry. At the SXSW conference in Austin on Sunday, el Kaliouby shared her view that a lack of diversity in the field could lead to economic disadvantages for women in tech, with further ramifications.
“I think AI today is a boys’ club. I think diversity is not a very popular conversation topic these days, but I think it’s so important because AI is creating incredible economic opportunity,” el Kaliouby said onstage, when asked if the perception of AI being a boys’ club was a myth. (The interviewer showed a series of headlines from TechCrunch showcasing AI startups with male founders to demonstrate the point.)
Image Credits:SXSW (opens in a new window) El Kaliouby, who sold her emotion-detection software company Affectiva in 2021 and is now co-founder and general partner at Blue Tulip Ventures, said that three out of four investments at her firm are in startups with women CEOs.
