Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What Is Human in a World of Machines

by Joy Buolamwini

I presented the “Gender Shades” work to Ruchir Puri, IBM chief scientist; Francesca Rossi, head of AI and Ethics; Anna Sekaran, head of communications; and members of the computer vision team, who sat nervously as I advanced through the slides showing performance results. “Who are the other companies?” they queried. “You are going to have to wait and see…” After the formal presentation, I enjoyed a lunch with the team. Again I was asked, “Who are the other companies?” The meal was good, but it wasn’t that good. “You will have to wait and see.” Later that evening I went out for a truly delicious Italian meal with a few IBMers who had been part of the drill team examining my research. For a third time, I was asked, “Who are the other companies?” As I took another spoonful of pasta, I nearly slipped—but then I caught myself. “You are going to have to wait and see…”