In this eye-opening episode, we explore the critical issue of racial bias within artificial intelligence through the lens of Christian Ortiz’s groundbreaking article, "AI Racism: A Justice AI Study on How the Terms 'Thug' and 'Gangster' Reveal Deep-Seated Racial Prejudices in Pop Culture's Language." Join us as we delve into how AI systems, such as Canva AI, perpetuate racial stereotypes by producing biased and discriminatory outputs. Using real-world examples, Ortiz illustrates how the terms "thug" and "gangster" are laden with harmful racial connotations rooted in colonial and historical contexts.

We examine how these biases seep into AI models trained on flawed data, resulting in tech that reinforces rather than dismantles systemic inequalities. In response, Ortiz introduces Justice AI, a pioneering initiative designed to combat AI bias through inclusive data collection, bias detection, and public education. Tune in to learn more about how we can reshape the future of AI to ensure it serves everyone equally, and discover actionable ways to advocate for more just, bias-free technology.