To give academics and others focused on AI their well-deserved (and overdue) time in the spotlight, TechCrunch has been publishing a interview series focused on notable women who have contributed to the AI revolution. We will publish these articles throughout the year as the rise of AI continues, highlighting key work that often goes unnoticed. Read more profiles here.
Dar’shun Kendrick is a member of the Georgia House of Representatives, a position she was chosen for at the age of 27 in 2010. He has a storied career in policy, equity, and technology, including the Small Business Development and Job Creation Committee and the Technology and Infrastructure Committee, where he serves on its Artificial Intelligence subcommittee. She also worked with the National Telecommunications, Science and Technology Committee of the Black Caucus of State Legislators and, in 2019, created the Georgia House of Representatives’ first bipartisan Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship caucus.
Kendrick attended Oglethorpe University and received his law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law. She is a lawyer and, in 2017, she opened a legal and investment advisory firm to help women and Black founders learn more about raising capital.
Briefly, how did you get started in AI? What attracted you to the field?
I started in AI by participating extensively in technology. I’m a securities attorney, so I help founders across the country raise billions in private equity capital and advise venture capital funds. So, because of the work I do in my “day job,” I am always listening to and participating in capital raises with the latest technology.
I was and still am drawn to AI because of how interesting it is as a policymaker to balance making life easier for people with ensuring that machine learning doesn’t disrupt our democracy and what makes us human. As a lawyer, I’m also interested because venture capitalists and founders in the AI space seem to be bucking recent trends of not raising as much investment capital as other subsets of technology. I have no idea why it’s necessary and that’s what makes it fascinating.
What work are you most proud of in the field of AI?
In this last legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly, I was on a small AI subcommittee that passed legislation regarding upcoming elections and “deepfakes” made by political campaigns to influence elections.
It’s just a start, but I’m proud that the state of Georgia has started having those conversations. It tends to take many years for the government to catch up with emerging technology, so I’m glad we’re starting to look at all things AI, particularly generative AI.
How do you address the challenges of the male-dominated tech industry and, by extension, the male-dominated AI industry?
Appear. I appear in spaces that these otherwise male-dominated industries don’t expect to see me: events, conferences, debates, etc. It’s the same way I was able to break into the male-dominated venture capital industry: by simply showing up knowing what I’m talking about and providing something of value that the industry needs.
What advice would you give to women looking to enter the field of AI?
Produce. Women are used to multitasking. In my opinion, that is one of the best uses of generative and applied AI. So I know that women can produce a new AI product to make life easier because we are the ones who need it. You don’t need to develop the product, you just need to be a visionary. Someone else can build it. Appear. There are a limited number of spaces we can be left out of. Continue learning. Technology changes very quickly. You want to be able to provide value when you have the opportunity and by entering this space, so listen to YouTube and sign up for an email blast from someone talking about this space.
What are some of the most pressing issues facing AI as it evolves?
Fraud. Whenever there is a new technology, someone is clever and cunning enough to find a way to use it for evil. Especially because this is AI, the most vulnerable communities, such as the elderly and immigrant populations, will be targeted. Privacy. History as old as time and continues with AI. The more information you give the AI machine about you, the better it will be.
The downside is that it now knows and stores a lot of information about you. Data breaches happen all the time. Hacking is one thing. So it’s a concern. Adaptation of small businesses. The government, the legal field, financial services. All of these industries tend to be more conservative and slower to adapt to new technologies. But in this fast-paced world, being slow in using AI is a recipe for failure as a small business. Governments and corporate partners must find a way to re-equip businesses to respond to the changing technology and business development landscape coming from AI.
What are some of the issues that AI users should consider?
Now you have to question everything due to fraud and you have to be picky about the information you share with AI platforms. Additionally, users should know, as usual, that AI technology is only as smart as human input. Therefore, there is still the possibility of discrimination (think AI in job applications) that may arise from its use.
What’s the best way to build AI responsibly?
Develop a written ethical framework of “do’s and don’ts” that focuses on privacy, data security, anti-fraud measures, and constant reassessment of discriminatory issues with the system. Write down this ethics framework, share it with the team, and stick to it.
How can investors better drive responsible AI?
[See above] and with responsibility check-ins. In particular, companies that claim to be ESG-focused [environmental, social, and governance] hold them accountable by asking the right questions, requiring a written ethics plan, and establishing metrics to truly claim to be an ESG investment.
What all of us (the government, the private sector and individuals) have to do is find quite quickly where the balance is between innovation, which I love as an American trademark, and rights (right to privacy, right to freedom, right to due process and non-discrimination. The sooner we understand that balance and act, the better we will be as a country and as a world.