The Future of Human-Centered Tech: Fighting Bias and Amplifying Inclusion - A Letter to CEO's and Heads of AI.

Dear CEOs and AI Leaders, As AI rapidly transforms industries from retail to finance, healthcare, and manufacturing, the call for human-centered technology has never been more urgent. It is not just a moral responsibility but a business advantage to build AI systems that are equitable, ethical, and inclusive. As leaders, you hold the power to champion innovation that ensures AI progress benefits everyone. Let’s not repeat history by embedding biases into emerging technologies—your leadership today can shape a more inclusive and equitable future. AI’s potential to solve complex problems and deliver personalized experiences is immense. Yet, without intentional design, AI can perpetuate biases that widen societal gaps, leading to consequences such as discriminatory hiring algorithms and misdiagnoses in healthcare for diverse populations. To combat these risks, it is essential to prioritize diverse data collection, inclusive design, ethical algorithm development, and continuous monitoring. Leaders who champion these principles will gain trust, foster loyalty, and unlock new growth opportunities. Consider these real-world implications:

• Retail: AI-driven marketing algorithms can exclude certain demographics by reinforcing stereotypes. 
• Finance: Loan approval systems may unfairly deny applications from underrepresented groups. 
• Healthcare: AI diagnostic tools can misdiagnose conditions in diverse patient populations due to data imbalances.
• Manufacturing: Automated hiring systems can perpetuate discriminatory hiring practices.

To create inclusive, impactful AI solutions, you must embrace these principles: 

• Diverse Data Collection: Ensure datasets are diverse and free of bias. 
• Inclusive Design: Involve diverse teams, including women and underrepresented minorities, to shape AI systems. 
• Ethical Algorithm Development: Conduct fairness audits, bias detection, and maintain transparency in decision-making processes. 
• Continuous Monitoring: Treat AI as an evolving tool, monitoring post-deployment to address any biases. 
• Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborate with communities and advocacy groups for continuous feedback. 

• Retail: Ethical personalization algorithms must avoid stereotypes.
• Finance: Implement fairness checks in credit scoring and fraud detection. 
• Healthcare: Train AI diagnostic tools with diverse data for equitable outcomes. 
• Manufacturing: Automated hiring systems should focus on skills, not biased historical data. 

By embedding responsible AI principles into your business strategy, you will create an organization that leads ethically, attracts new market opportunities, and future-proofs your operations. Ethical leadership today will ensure a more equitable technological future—let's not repeat history by embedding existing biases into new technologies.

What is the Business Value Proposition?:

• Stronger Market Position: Access diverse customer bases for greater market share. 
• Enhanced Brand Reputation: Build trust through responsible corporate practices. 
• Innovation through Diversity: Diverse teams foster creativity and better business outcomes. 
• Regulatory Readiness: Stay ahead of global regulations and minimize compliance risks.
• Talent Attraction: Align with employee values, building a culture of innovation and belonging.

Strategic Implementation Tips:

• Leadership Commitment: Champion ethical AI and set clear principles for development. 
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Involve multiple perspectives from product, marketing, and operations. 
• Transparent Metrics: Measure and communicate progress on ethical AI initiatives. 
• Continuous Learning: Update AI models regularly to eliminate biases and adapt to evolving needs. 

Leading in responsible AI is not just an ethical choice—it’s a strategic one. As the CEO and AI leader, by prioritizing inclusive AI, you will drive long-term value, foster loyalty, and unlock new business opportunities. Integrating responsible AI into your core strategy will position your organization as an ethical market leader and ensure AI benefits all.

At Queens of Tech, we believe that a future powered by inclusive AI is within reach. Together, we can harness technology's transformative power to create a world where innovation uplifts all. Let’s take action and lead the way toward a future where AI serves humanity equitably and responsibly.

Together, we can create a future where AI empowers and unites, not divides. 

Queens of Tech, in partnership with AI World Cannes, has invited Maeva CECCHI as a speaker on the roundtable "Human-Centered Tech: Fighting Bias and Amplifying Inclusion (facilitated by Queens of Tech)" to share her voice on this critical subject.

Mavea Checchi brings knowledge around:

• AI Bias Reflects Societal Bias: AI reproduces existing power dynamics and societal biases, such as gender roles and professional stereotypes, highlighting the need for structural change beyond data correction. 
• Psychological Impact on Women: AI reinforces gender stereotypes, affecting women’s self-perception and confidence, which limits their participation in technical fields. 
• Cognitive Psychology in AI: Cognitive biases, like categorization and confirmation bias, influence both human behavior and AI outputs. Involving cognitive psychologists in AI design can help reduce these biases. 
• Role of Collectives like WHAT06: By providing visible female role models and expanding narratives around tech careers, WHAT06 helps challenge gender stereotypes and promotes a more inclusive tech industry. 

Maeva is one of the 100 trailblazers featured on Jasmine Moradi’s Queens of Tech podcast, where voices of impact discuss their journeys in tech, championing diversity and inclusion. As Maeva emphasizes, "The future of tech thrives on diversity. Real progress demands more action, not just words."

By embracing inclusive AI practices, we can harness technology's transformative power to create a world where innovation benefits all, drives business growth, unlocks new market opportunities, and strengthens customer trust through ethical and equitable solutions. Let's lead that change together.

Podcast cover image: attached

Link to Maeva’s podcast page Maeva Cecchi – Lead UX and Diversity & Inclusion Ambassador at Amadeus

Snapshot from the podcast episode:

Maeva’s thoughts on DEIB and AI are rooted in respect for equality and the power of diverse perspectives. She firmly believes that everyone, regardless of background, deserves equal treatment and a voice. As she puts it, “Whoever you are, you deserve the same respect, attention, and voice as anyone else.” In her view, diversity in tech isn't just a nice to have—it's essential for progress. She challenges the old mindset that limits tech to a select group, saying, “Why should the tech industry restrict itself to half of the population? The more brains we have, the better.”

Maeva also talks about the role that societal norms play in shaping underrepresentation, particularly for women and marginalized groups, and the need for mentorship and visible role models. She stresses, “Higher gender representation leads to diverse backgrounds, different ways of thinking, and opens up more diverse ideas.” For her, addressing bias starts early, and the tech industry should connect with founders based on merit, not demographic similarities.

She credits younger generations for pushing the envelope on diversity and inclusion, noting their openness to diverse ideas and their commitment to balancing work and life. “They are driving positive change,” Maeva observes. Her stance is clear: the future of tech thrives on diversity, and it’s time we saw more actions backing these values—not just words. “It’s important to have female and multicultural leaders, spontaneous feedback from employees about the culture, and real actions in the local environment more than just communication.”

Maeva is the Assistant Secretary, WHAT06 (Women Hackers Action Tank 06) a collective in Nice and Sophia-Antipolis dedicated to diversity in tech. It works to raise women’s visibility in technical fields and inspire young girls to pursue tech careers. WHAT06 organizes events like workshops, conferences, and hackathons and launched the Women In Tech Sud awards in 2019. In 2024, they developed the Tech4Elles mentoring app, connecting high school girls with female tech role models. Maeve contributed to the app's design.

Learn more: WHAT06

Learn more: Queens of Tech

Best regards, Jasmine Moradi Founder and Julien Malfait Co-Founder of Queens of Tech