AfricaCom TV interviews Devika Daga - AI Practitioner & Humane Technologist, MOSIP at AfricaCom 2019
TLDRIn this Africa Comm TV interview, de Vaca Dagger, a humane technologist and ecosystem consultant at Molson, discusses the importance of humane technology and diversity in AI. She emphasizes the need for a variety of disciplines in AI development to reflect human values and prevent vendor lock-in. Dagger also talks about her role at MOSOP, an open-source identity platform, and the necessity for policymakers to collaborate with technologists to create supportive AI environments and regulations. She anticipates increased regulation in the African AI space and advocates for more policy involvement in technology to serve the public interest.
Takeaways
- 🌟 Humane Technologist: De Vaca Dagher defines humane technology as building technology with human values at its core, inspired by Tristan Harris's work.
- 💡 Importance of Diversity in AI: The need for diversity in AI extends beyond gender to include various backgrounds, ages, professions, and disciplines to reflect the complexity of human values.
- 🌐 MOSOP (Modular Open-Source Identity Platform): An initiative to create an open-source platform for digital national ID, aiming to prevent vendor lock-in and reduce costs for governments.
- 🤝 Collaboration between Tech and Policy: The necessity for technologists and policymakers to work together to develop policies governing emerging technologies, emphasizing the integration of technology in government public service.
- 🔍 Forecasting AI Developments: Anticipation of increased regulation in the AI space, especially in Africa, with a focus on building national AI strategies and legislation.
- 🧠 Research in General AI: A continued emphasis on research in artificial general intelligence, aiming to advance the field beyond specific applications.
- 🏛️ Role of Government: The critical role of government in creating an environment that supports AI development while ensuring it serves the public interest.
- 🌍 African AI Working Groups: The formation of AI working groups at the country level in Africa, signaling a movement towards consensus building and national AI strategies.
- 💼 Public Service and Digital Literacy: Encouraging digitally literate individuals to engage in public service to contribute to the development of humane technology and policy.
- 🚀 Technological Innovation: The ongoing innovation in AI technology, with a hope for balanced growth alongside regulatory measures.
- 📈 Balancing Act: The challenge of balancing innovation in AI with the development of appropriate regulations to ensure ethical and responsible use of technology.
Q & A
What is the primary role of de Vaca Dagher as a Humane Technologist?
-De Vaca Dagher's role as a Humane Technologist involves advocating for the integration of human values into the development and use of technology, ensuring that technology aligns with the betterment of humanity.
Who is Tristan Harris and how does his work relate to de Vaca Dagher's title?
-Tristan Harris is a former Google employee who is known for advocating the movement of putting humanity back into technology. De Vaca Dagher's title as a Humane Technologist is inspired by Harris's work, emphasizing the importance of human values in technology development.
Why is diversity in AI important according to de Vaca Dagher?
-Diversity in AI is crucial because it ensures that the technology reflects a broad range of human values and experiences. It involves including people of different backgrounds, ages, professions, and disciplines to prevent a narrow perspective and to enrich the development of AI systems.
What does MOSOP stand for and what is its purpose?
-MOSOP stands for Modular Open-Source Identity Platform. It is an open-source digital national ID platform aimed at helping governments avoid vendor lock-in and reduce costs while adopting new technologies for their identity systems.
How does MOSOP address the challenges of digital transformation in identity systems?
-MOSOP provides a flexible and cost-effective solution for digital identity systems, allowing governments to update and adapt their systems without being tied down to specific vendors or incurring high costs for potentially obsolete technologies.
What was the focus of the panel discussion on building the bridge between AI and policy?
-The panel discussion focused on the need for collaboration between technologists and policymakers to develop policies that govern emerging technologies. It emphasized the importance of integrating technology into public service and the role of government in regulating the industry.
What does de Vaca Dagher foresee for the future of AI in Africa?
-De Vaca Dagher anticipates an increase in regulation as African countries work on creating national AI strategies. She also expects continued innovation in artificial general intelligence research.
Why is it important for technologists to engage with policymakers?
-Engagement between technologists and policymakers is essential to ensure that technology serves the public interest and that industry standards are set responsibly. It helps in creating a balanced approach to technological advancements that consider ethical and societal implications.
How does de Vaca Dagher view the role of government in technology development?
-De Vaca Dagher believes that the government should play a significant role in technology development, particularly in ensuring that technology aligns with humane values and serves the public. She advocates for a government that is digitally literate and actively involved in shaping technology policy.
What is the significance of the working groups being created at the country level in Africa for AI?
-The working groups at the country level in Africa signify a movement towards consensus building and the development of national AI strategies. These groups are expected to lead to recommendations on legislation and the creation of regulations that will guide the use and development of AI within the countries.
Outlines
🌐 Introduction to Humane Technology and AI in Africa
The paragraph introduces de Vaca Dagger, a humane technologist and ecosystem consultant at Molson, discussing the concept of humane technology, which emphasizes building technology with human values. De Vaca shares her background and the importance of this role in the context of her work in AI. She also touches on the need for diversity in AI, not just in terms of gender but across various disciplines and experiences, as AI should reflect a broad range of human values.
🤖 Bridging AI and Policy: The Role of Technologists and Policy Makers
This paragraph delves into the panel discussion that de Vaca participated in, focusing on the relationship between AI and policy. It highlights the need for collaboration between technologists and policy makers to develop regulations for emerging technologies. De Vaca emphasizes the importance of having technologists in government roles to ensure that technology serves the public interest, aligning with the principles of humane technology. She also forecasts an increase in AI-related regulations in Africa and the ongoing research in artificial general intelligence.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Humane Technologist
💡Digital Transformation
💡Diversity in AI
💡Ecosystem Consultant
💡MOSOP
💡Policy and Technology
💡AI Strategy
💡Regulation
💡General Artificial Intelligence
💡Public Service
Highlights
De Vaca Dagger discusses the concept of humane technology, emphasizing the importance of integrating human values into the development of technology.
De Vaca's background in AI and her belief in the significance of reinforcing a value system in technology.
The need for diversity in AI, going beyond just gender to include a wide range of human experiences and disciplines.
De Vaca's participation in a panel discussion at the AIS summit, focusing on the importance of diversity in AI.
The role of MOSOP (Modular Open-Source Identity Platform) in digital transformation and identity systems without vendor lock-in.
The joint effort by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Tata Trusts to create MOSOP as an open-source platform for digital national ID.
De Vaca's role as an ecosystem consultant with MOSOP, seeking partners in Africa to develop solutions for governments and telecoms.
The importance of collaboration between technologists and policymakers to govern emerging technologies.
The potential dangers of reducing the conversation about diversity in AI to just a gender-specific issue.
The need for technologists in government to ensure technology serves the public interest, reflecting the principles of humane technology.
De Vaca's anticipation of increased regulation in the AI space, particularly in Africa, as countries develop their national AI strategies.
The expectation of policymakers to develop legislation recommendations based on AI working groups and national strategies.
The ongoing research in artificial general intelligence as a key area of innovation in the AI field.
De Vaca's hope for more regulation in AI to ensure responsible development and application of technology.
The importance of having a diverse range of people, including those with ethics backgrounds, involved in AI to reflect human values.
The potential for Africa to lead in the development of innovative solutions for digital identity and AI applications.
The critical role of public service in technology and the need for digitally literate individuals to contribute to government and policy-making.