AI and satellite imagery are being used to fight spatial apartheid in South Africa, exposing stark inequalities and driving systemic change. According to MIT Technology Review, Raesetje Sefala, a 28-year-old researcher from Limpopo, South Africa, is at the forefront of using AI and satellite imagery to combat spatial apartheid. Growing up in a township, Sefala witnessed firsthand the disparities between Black townships and affluent white neighborhoods. Now, she’s using cutting-edge technology to address these injustices. Unearthing Spatial Inequities In collaboration with computer scientists Nyalleng Moorosi and Timnit Gebru at the
The US National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced an investment to enhance diversity and inclusion within the artificial intelligence (AI) research community. The NSF has allocated $10 million in grants to seven innovative projects in collaboration with the Departments of Homeland Security, Agriculture, Defense, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. These initiatives aim to strengthen AI research and education at minority-serving institutions (MSIs), including historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). A Diverse AI Research Community The new round of ExpandAI awards is a strategic move to cultivate a
Morgan Freeman recently addressed a viral TikTok video that misused his voice using artificial intelligence (AI). The video, which garnered significant attention, was created by a user named “Justine’s Camera Roll” and was later reshared on X (formerly known as Twitter) by “JahelisWasHere.” With 16.5 million views, the video falsely appeared to feature Freeman narrating a vacation clip. Freeman, however, took to X to clarify that he had no involvement and labeled the video a “scam.” Viral AI Video Sparks Controversy The controversial TikTok video starts with what seems to
The city of Detroit has agreed to pay $300,000 to Robert Williams, a Black man wrongly arrested for shoplifting due to flawed facial recognition technology. As part of the settlement, the city will also make changes to how police use facial recognition software when making arrests. A Case of Mistaken Identity Robert Williams’ wrongful arrest stems from a misidentification by facial recognition software. According to The Guardian, the software incorrectly matched Williams’ driver’s license photo to a suspect seen in a 2018 security video from a Shinola watch store. Despite
TestParty, a Black-led, AI-driven software compliance company, has raised $4 million in a seed funding round led by Harlem Capital and the Urban Innovation Fund. Founded in March 2023 by Michael Bervell and Jason Tan, TestParty helps businesses automatically rewrite source code to comply with global digital accessibility regulations. Making websites more accessible Currently, nearly all popular websites fail to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), leaving millions of people who rely on assistive devices unable to engage with the digital world. TestParty aims to bridge this gap by
The Google for Startups Founders Fund is back for the fifth year and is funding 20 Black and Latine AI companies in the US. The fund first launched as part of Google’s $175 million commitment towards racial equity and to date has deployed more than $50 million dollars to more than 570 Black and Latine founders around the world. Google For Startups Founders Fund & AI As AI developments are on the rise, this year, Google has funded 20 US-based companies that are pushing the boundaries in AI. The companies
Morehouse College is launching what is reportedly the world’s first fully spacial AI teaching assistants (TAs). After launching their Metaversity in 2021, Morehouse is taking the next step in technology-based learning. AI Teaching Assistants Muhsinah Morris, a senior assistant professor in education and metaversity director at Morehouse, pioneered the technology in Spring 2021 with faculty assistance. She will now teach a class this fall with a spatial 3D AI TA. Students can expect to receive support from the AI TAs, who will manage assessments and office hours, ensure 24/7 access,
Record labels including Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Warner Records are suing AI song-generators Suno and Udio for ‘mass copyright infringement’. The lawsuits allege that the music startups are exploiting the works of artists including Chuck Berry, Billie Holiday, and Michael Jackson. What Does Suno And Udio Do? Suno and Udio have garnered attention over the last few months for their music-generation capabilities. The platforms allow users to create complete songs using a single-word prompt, and most recently, they added new updates enabling you to upload your audio
At the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Will.i.am introduced an AI-generated host named Felicia from his SiriusXM show. Felicia: A Black Woman AI Felicia, an AI-generated Black woman host, debuted at the Cannes Lions Festival in France, during a conversation with Kim Last of The Wall Street Journal. Addressing the audience, she stressed the importance of representation and empowerment in technology. “AI is more than just cool tech. It’s a new frontier where every voice must be heard,” Felicia said, according to AfroTech. “We’re here to make it clear
internXL has announced a partnership with FYI (Focus Your Ideas), an AI-powered productivity app for creatives co-founded by will.i.am and tech founder Sunil Reddy. The partnership aims to connect college talent, particularly from underrepresented communities, with career opportunities in the AI and prompt engineering industry. internXL and FYI Collaborate An initiative of Robert F. Smith’s Fund II Foundation, internXL is an AI-driven platform that matches top employers with skilled entry-level candidates. The platform’s s AI-generated recommendations consider the educational background, career aspirations, cognitive abilities, learning style, and personality to ensure a fair evaluation.
