Diaspora Star | Joy Buolamwini: Championing Equity in Artificial Intelligence

Joy Adowaa Buolamwini, born on January 23, 1990, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, is a Canadian-American computer scientist and digital activist of Ghanaian descent. She is widely recognized for her work challenging bias in artificial intelligence (AI) and is the founder of the Algorithmic Justice League (AJL), an organization dedicated to promoting equitable and accountable AI.

Growing up in Mississippi, Buolamwini displayed an early passion for technology. Inspired at age nine by the MIT robot Kismet, she taught herself coding languages such as XHTML, JavaScript, and PHP. Alongside her academic pursuits, she was a competitive pole vaulter and basketball player, balancing sports and studies with discipline and determination.

Her academic journey is exceptional. Buolamwini earned a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Georgia Institute of Technology, where she also researched health informatics. She later became a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University and earned a Master’s and PhD in Media Arts & Sciences from MIT. Throughout her studies, she received numerous awards, including Fulbright, Stamps, and Astronaut scholarships.

Buolamwini’s research focuses on algorithmic bias in facial recognition technology. Her landmark project, Gender Shades, revealed that commercial AI systems misidentified darker-skinned women at rates as high as 34.7%, while error rates for lighter-skinned men were under 1%. This research exposed systemic inequities in AI and pushed companies like IBM and Microsoft to improve their algorithms.

Through the Algorithmic Justice League, Buolamwini has expanded her advocacy, blending art, research, and public engagement. AJL initiatives, including the Safe Face Pledge and the CRASH program, promote ethical AI development and foster inclusion for women, transgender, and non-binary individuals. Her work emphasizes that fairness in AI requires both technological solutions and regulatory oversight.

Buolamwini has also influenced public policy. She testified before the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform on facial recognition risks and advised on the Executive Order for Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy AI. Her efforts highlight the societal impacts of AI bias, particularly in areas such as hiring, housing, and criminal justice, ensuring marginalized communities are not disproportionately affected.

Her advocacy extends to media and arts. Buolamwini has been featured in the Netflix documentary Coded Bias, exhibited projects at the Barbican Centre and Ars Electronica, and authored Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What Is Human in a World of Machines. Her work demonstrates how technology, creativity, and activism can intersect to drive meaningful change.

Joy Buolamwini’s influence reaches across borders. As a Diaspora star, she exemplifies the power of intellect and activism to challenge systemic inequities, inspiring a new generation to engage with technology ethically and inclusively. Through her research and advocacy, she continues to ensure that AI development serves humanity fairly and equitably.