AI for Equality and Applications

AI for Equality

• Jamila Gordon, a global executive with IBM and former CIO of Qantas Airways, advocates for the use of AI to break down barriers to equality.
• Gordon's personal story, marked by displacement and hardship, motivates her work to empower disadvantaged people.
• Gordon emphasizes that AI can equip people with the skills and knowledge needed to find and excel in their work, regardless of language or educational background.
• Gordon's company leverages AI in global food supply chains for transparency, ethical and sustainable practices, and workforce improvements.
• AI can detect unsafe workplace behaviors and deliver personalized training in multiple languages, including audio formats.
• Gordon aspires to a future where people are not limited by language, geography, or access to education and training, where everyone can thrive and reach their full potential.

Applications of AI

• One of AI's applications is utilizing computer vision in the food industry to create transparency for consumers.
• AI can analyze work environments to identify potential safety hazards and provide targeted training.
• AI can deliver customized training in multiple languages, enabling effective communication and skill development for diverse workforces.

Benefits of AI

• AI can help overcome language barriers by providing training in various languages, including audio formats.
• AI can provide support to people who are unable to read or write, ensuring inclusivity and equal opportunities.
• AI can create a safer and more equitable work environment for everyone, regardless of their background or abilities.

Early Life and Migration

• Jamila grew up as a nomadic child in Somalia
• She moved to Mogadishu at the age of 11 due to drought and war
• She left Somalia at the age of 18 due to the civil war, as she and her family were at risk of being killed
• She ended up in Kenya as a displaced person and was fortunate to move to Australia thanks to a backpacker
• She received unemployment benefits from the Australian government and learned English
• She wanted to find work as soon as possible, leading her to find a job at a Japanese restaurant

Early Career and Impact of AI

• She started her job at the Japanese restaurant as a dishwasher and was trained as a kitchen hand by the couple who owned it
• The couple's kindness helped her start her career path, which led her to become a software developer
• She worked as a global executive at IBM and then as a chief information officer at Qantas Airways
• Her path shows how AI can be used to provide disadvantaged people with the tools and skills they need to find work and be successful
• AI can help break down barriers of language, education, and location

AI in the Food Supply Chain

• Jamila founded a company that uses AI-powered computer vision to create transparency in global food supply chains, particularly the meat industry
• This transparency rewards producers who operate ethically and sustainably
• The AI can detect unsafe behaviors, such as incorrect personal protective gear or hygiene procedures, and provide training in the worker's preferred language, including both written and audio formats
• One of her company's customers has 49 languages spoken in their facilities, demonstrating the need for AI-powered training in multiple languages
• AI helps overcome obstacles of language barriers and literacy levels in the food industry, where many workers are migrants, refugees, or from disadvantaged backgrounds

Impact and Vision for the Future

• Her childhood experience of carrying heavy buckets of water due to poverty fuels her desire to create a better future
• She envisions a world where everyone is safe at work, regardless of language, location, or literacy level
• She emphasizes the potential of AI to create a world free of limitations based on language, geography, or access to knowledge
• She believes that AI can empower everyone to reach their full potential and contribute to a more equitable world