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By Brandon Nicholson, Ph.D.
Black youth possess a wide array of skills and perspectives that position them exceptionally well to innovate and lead in an AI-driven economy. They continue to be trendsetters when it comes to mastering the latest technology, and they are inarguably the keepers of popular culture.
There is a great deal of chatter and activity centered around artificial intelligence, and at this moment, the narrative is overwhelmingly hopeful and future-facing. When coupled with human talent, AI has the potential to increase productivity and redefine what is possible across industries.
As with all new innovations, AI in the wrong hands can result in computational flaws — ranging from annoying to deadly. For example, AI facial recognition programs that are fed mostly non-Black faces struggle to recognize Black faces. Hiring algorithms are often fed inherently discriminatory parameters that eliminate Black candidates before a human even sees their application. And home loan underwriting software is a technological Black box that many times rejects Black applicants with financial profiles identical to white candidates. From policing to healthcare to financial security, AI creates even more hurdles to positive outcomes for Black youth.
Instead of ending with this critical narrative, however, we should view it as a hopeful starting point. For many reasons, encouraging Black youth to participate in AI development that directly addresses the needs and challenges of their communities can lead to more inclusive and relevant technological solutions. First, critical media literacy has always been a tool of political and civic engagement for Black American youth — they learn to identify when someone who looks like them is stereotyped in or left out of particular media altogether. They also learn to question the lack of lived experience of the “experts” elevated by powerful platforms. And now, Black youth are learning to detect whether the media they consume is AI-generated.
Black youth have also always been global leaders of pop culture and content creation. They are used to their ingenuity being co-opted by more monied, powerful entities. And when that content starts to become too “mainstream,” Black youth move on to create new genres of expression.
Additionally, according to Nielsen, Black youth in the U.S. lead the world, not only in social media content creation, but also in early adoption of technology, as well as willingness to teach others to utilize new technologies. This is not just an American phenomenon. Consider Africa: a continent comprised of 54 countries that the West has often characterized — if not caricatured — as hapless and inept, to say nothing of corrupt. Nevertheless, the home to the world’s youngest population, fastest-growing population, and fastest-growing workforce continues to lead the world in so many aspects of culture and innovation, which demonstrates limitless potential for Black communities (in Africa and beyond) to lead the world through the next generation of artificial intelligence evolution.
Because they have consistently been the earliest and most efficient adopters of new tech, Black youth can build meaningful opportunities for themselves and others by steering AI developments across industries in a safer, more equitable direction. And this isn’t just an argument for an altruistic cause. Three out of every four organizations surveyed for The World Economic Forum’s 2023 Future of Jobs Report stated that they are likely or highly likely to adapt AI technologies during the next five years. The throughline between AI and Black youth is that there are unlimited possibilities for both.
To be sure, effective AI development and engagement will require the best contributions of all of us. Still, for technology to contribute universal value, we need leadership, and the most prominent voices in our public discourse still emanate from young Black minds. Youth development and tech equity organizations need to dedicate time and resources in field-building, policy change, and broader-scale investments that uplift our communities as leaders in the next wave of AI.
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Brandon Nicholson, Ph.D., is chief executive officer of The Hidden Genius Project in Oakland, California.
