person

Elizabeth Adams

Elizabeth Adams was a Non-Resident Fellow at the Digital Civil Society Lab in Partnership with the Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity (2019-2020, 2020-2021).

Elizabeth is a technology integrator, working at the intersection of Cyber Security, AI Ethics and AI Governance, focused on Ethical Tech Design. She also passionately teaches, advises, consults, speaks and writes on the critical subjects within Diversity & Inclusion in Artificial Intelligence, such as racial bias in Facial Recognition Technology, Video Surveillance, Predictive Analytics and Children’s Rights. 

Elizabeth impacts the world around her every day serving as a member of the IEEE Global Initiative on Ethics of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems helping to build global standards for AI Nudging & Emotion AI, and as an appointed member of the Racial Equity Community Advisory Committee for the City of Minneapolis influencing the local Civic Tech & Tech Design Racial Equity conversation and framework.

Over the last 20 years, she’s refined her leadership acumen in tech design by leading a variety of technology initiatives in the Washington D.C. metro area.  Now back in her home state of Minnesota, she remains dedicated to embedding ethics and human-centricity in artificial intelligence systems and also makes time to pursue her passion for lifting up other women in tech.

Fellowship Impact

As a Race and Tech Fellow at the Digital Civil Society Lab and Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity, Minneapolis activist Elizabeth M. Adams says she learned to think globally to improve her work locally. She’s contributed to concrete successes such as the banning of facial recognition technology and the creation of procedures for public oversight of technology purchases by local government. Adams applies her knowledge of structural racism, public and corporate decision making, and data and algorithmic analysis to integrate discussion of technological impacts into local discourse about racial equity. Especially motivating for Adams is engaging with local community members who want to learn and take action on these issues but don’t necessarily have time to do so. Adams seeks to get into the back rooms, to exist and inform at all stages where technology is being created and implemented, so other people can be out front.

During her Fellowship Adams became a Women in AI Minneapolis Ambassador; served as a United Nations Key Constituent for the 3C Roundtable on Artificial Intelligence; led a police surveillance town hall, amongst her 30 other presentations and speeches. She even wrote a handful of children’s books available free online and through retailers. In the next few years, with her own AI ethics firm and growing client base behind her, Adams will continue her education and deepen her research and writing to continue bringing knowledge back to the people.

Products

Children’s Book

Little A.I. and Peety (May 2021)

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Children’s Book

Little Miss Minnesota and Her Six Brothers (May 2021)

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LinkedIn Article

Diversity & Inclusion Leadership Skills Needed in Artificial Intelligence (July 2019)

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LinkedIn Article

How to Foster Inclusion & Trust in Artificial Intelligence Work Groups (July 2019)

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LinkedIn Article

3 Ways to Promote Inclusive Decision Making (July 2019)

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Blog

3 Reasons to Care about AI – For Black Women in Tech (October 2018)

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Blog

5 Ways to Super-Charge Your #TechLife (October 2018)

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New Positions & Appointments

Speeches & Presentations

The Impact of Artificial Intelligence at Work w/ Elizabeth M. Adams

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Elizabeth M. Adams on civic tech as advocacy work

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AI & The Black Experience

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Elizabeth Adams: The Path to Public Oversight of Surveillance Technology in Minneapolis

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Generation W – Artificial Intelligence Bias

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Building Inclusive & Representative AI with Elizabeth M. Adams

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Ethical Tech Design for AI

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Exploring AI Ethics through Public Oversight of Surveillance Tech in Minneapolis – Elizabeth Adams

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12 Black Women in AI paving the way for a better world

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Race, Equity, Technology & Minneapolis; Future of Face Recognition Mitigating Bias to Get It Right

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Dialogue on Surveillance and Carcerality

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HR PASSION TALK: 3 WAYS TO PROMOTE INCLUSIVE DECISION MAKING

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Cornell Diversity & Inclusion Student Story | Elizabeth

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Public Oversight of Surveillance Tech – Community Feedback Session

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How is Digital Surveillance Changing the Social Fabric in our Cities?

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Combating Implicit Biases in Technology Through Impact Storytelling

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Oculus Quest/GRX Immersive In-Protest

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Women in Tech Festival – Silicon Valley Forum

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Prepare to Launch – Target

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Beyond the pandemic: what does the future hold? 

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Police Surveillance Town Hall

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“HR Innovation and Future of Work” (March, 2020) | The Impact of Artificial Intelligence

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MozFest Community Fridays – June 25, 2021

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Combating Implicit Biases in Technology Through Impact Storytelling – Games for Change 2021 Festival

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WEnnovate Closing Keynote

Beyond the pandemic: what does the future hold? 

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Women in Tech Festival | Keynote: Finding Your Inner Phoenix

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MLUX Data and Policy Panel

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Exploring AI Ethics through Public Oversight of Surveillance Tech in Minneapolis

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Can Algorithms Be Fair?

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Black Women In Artificial Intelligence – Beyond The Lab – Elizabeth M. Adams

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The Path to Public Oversight of Surveillance Technology

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