ABOUT ELLPHA
Founding Team
Friends of Ellpha
"I believe in the mission of Ellpha as I think it is critical and urgent to tackle biases in data and algorithms to make AI-based technologies available to anyone in the world"
"The first step in challenging inequality is making it visible, which is why I think that ellpha's mission is not just valuable but essential. The use of AI to identify patterns of bias will undoubtedly reveal areas where we can take concrete actions to improve representation. Data science is revolutionising our understanding in many areas, so it's about time we used it to improve gender equality."
« As long as one (wo)man is oppressed, no one is free. The fight for equality is not one among others, to be weighed, compared and prioritized, it is THE fight. We need ellpha to help accelerate change for half of the human population»
“I believe AI will change society, and it is crucial that AI is inherently built with gender equality at the center. I am excited ellpha is championing women in AI”.
'If unchecked, AI could reinforce and entrench centuries of gender inequality. The reason I love the concept of ellpha is because it dares to turn the paradigm upside down - and make AI a force for good.'
"Diversity is a beautiful feature of the human race, but so often our biases lead us to uniformity, exclusion and an impoverished society. AI has the power for good, for increased equality and an empowerment of the less privileged. However, we need to use our human intelligence to ensure that the way that we design and use AI does not merely reproduce preconceived preferences. We need organisations like ellpha to promote the best of AI and expose the worst and the ill-conceived."
“Successful business is a factor of its talent’s capability and diversity to innovate. Achieving gender equality within an organisation increases both of these critical ingredients while simultaneously benefiting society. Through technology ellpha will help the world's employers unlock their potential."
“Data, and AI could drive a huge change in equality. We need to grasp this opportunity to use technology rather than being used by it – ellpha should be at the heart of this movement.”
"The future for equitable technology needs collaboration, and challenging bias, especially in networked systems. By creating a space for researchers, theorists, scientists and critics to engage and challenge AI systems, we can work towards equitable technology systems."
"It's our responsibility to ethically design the training data for AI and machine learning algorithms. When we see bias in AI, that reflects bias in us. It's up to all of us to build the world that we want - in our tools and in ourselves."
"Technology is changing the world faster than ever, and yet, progress in gender equality is slow and fragile, and AI might amplify bias. I am hopeful ellpha can help address bias and drive change."
"As a woman leader in innovation, I am excited to support platforms like ellpha which are opening our eyes on AI opportunities & risks, helping build AI for good to increase diversity".
“Business is constrained by a shortage of talent. Gender equality will unlock human capital. I am excited by the potential for people and business of the ellpha project.”
"Sometimes, the most insidious types of gender bias are those that are hardest to see. I believe that AI can help identify our biases when we don't even know that they exist and guide us towards a more equal approach."
"Over the past century the gender balance has made progress in the world.
In the past decade it seems this progress has slowed or even gone backwards in some countries.
For the future, connected, AI enabled world, ellpha is key to ensure that our children will live in a fair world."
“This work is not optional. We must proactively create the society that we want our children to live in, and we must do so at the pace of innovation, with all of the tools that we have within our reach.”
"AI has some great potential to revolutionise our lives, yet there is also a great risk that most of its potential will not be fulfilled due to understandable concerns of society. AI is a space we should all be concerned about getting it right, rather than only focusing on making it work, albeit how challenging it is to get it right!!"
"I love technology; I love my three technically inclined daughters; and I love the fact that ellpha is working to make sure that they will have the same opportunities to contribute as I have been privileged to enjoy."
"I believe that diversity is key to unlock the potential of organizations in the future. It is critical to ensure that new technologies and machine learning are a force for good in that regard."
"Les filles sont des garçons comme les autres".
"I want little girls to grow up like any other little boys and little boys like any other little girls. I would love for ellpha to create more opportunities for girls and boys, equally, and for AI to create more humanity between women and men."
“ I fundamentally believe in a future filled with abundance and hope…ellpha will play an integral part in ensuring this happens and indeed for everyone…”
"Gender equality is a no brainer, it is good for business as well as a moral imperative. As a father of 3 girls, I want change, faster, and believe ellpha can help.”
"Artificial Intelligence is becoming the plumbing of our delivery, computational and decision-making infrastructures. We have a choice: let our current or past biases become cemented in the algorithms we apply, or develop new algorithms with the conscious intention of improving access and opportunity for all, and incorporating data that represents the whole of the human experience. ellpha is an important initiative, raising awareness of a critical issue in AI for our time."
“Throughout humankind the fabric of society has been shaken and shaped by great woman; woman of courage and strength who have had decisive impact on their societies and the world at large. Leaders and thinkers like Joan of Arc, Cleopatra, Golda Meir and Rosa Parks. Yet there is still intrinsic gender bias that exists that prevent merit based advancement in many industries and professions- ellpha project can provide key insights to illuminate this and ultimately create a level playing field which will ensure a bright future for generations to come.”
‘I believe in meritocracy. Everyone, regardless of race, creed, religion or gender should have access to the opportunities that their skills and experience lend them too, without any bias or impediment. Letting everyone reach their potential can only be a benefit to the world at large. That’s why I’m a friend of ellpha.”
“The promises of Data Science and AI will have a real point if they can be used to create a fairer society that is truly blind to all types of discrimination factors inherent in current processes. Ellpha takes a stand on gender equality, providing a great example for those who want to make the world a better place for all.”
‘IA is an opportunity given to us to make the difference. Diversity is the one true thing we all have in common and I believe we should better care.
Ellpha will help us understand and show the direction for actions.’
‘If women - who account for half of the world’s population-do not achieve their full economic potential, the economy will suffer and we need organisations like ellpha to help drive change, faster'
‘Humanity has thrived on Diversity and Equality is the fuel of Diversity. With today’s technology we can bring objectivity in all forms of decision making and hence create a level playing field for all genders to contribute their best and learn from each other. I am excited by ellpha’s purpose.‘
'Amid louder and more pointed calls for gender parity (#pressforprogess), ellpha’s mission to create a gender-balanced AI world is both relevant and much needed. Bravo!'
"Telle Whitney, former CEO and President of the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology, once said that 'Diversity drives innovation – when we limit who can contribute, we in turn limit what problems we can solve'. I believe that Ellpha will help corporations identify, quantify and remove such limitations, and this will maximize their potential.
It's truly fantastic to come across such an impactful way of leveraging AI towards such a strong cause. For decades we have been dreaming about the future, it's now time for real change and ellpha can drive that. I am excited to support the ellpha project!"
"We spend a great deal of energy worrying about what AI will do to us and our jobs. It's time we changed the narrative and took control. And this makes Ellpha both timely and important. We have an opportunity to harness this amazing technology for the greater good, tackling gender bias and equality at scale."
'Laura, girls don't have the same eye for maths as boys. I suggest you do economics and be with your friends. said my maths teacher when I was in high school and wanting to specialise in Science and maths. Gender bias in pervasive in every part of our society and this has to change, it is a no-brainer.
This is important work and I believe AI and ellpha will play an important part in bringing true gender equality.'
"As Agent K says in Men in Black, "A person is smart. People are dumb". Bias is one of the biggest factors that causes humanity to behave in (collectively) foolish ways. What better an antidote to this weakness than the accumulated power of objective thought that has been channeled into what we now call "artificial intelligence"? What better a place to start than with gender? Gender bias adversely affects 100% of the population. Increased moral awareness offers the single greatest democratisation and "optimisation" of social commerce since the internet. The road to get there begins with a bold vision to bring the brightest and best humanity has to offer into those dark unconscious places that have held us back. ellpha holds that vision."
"As a young woman working to understand how AI embeds and magnifies society's values (for good and bad), it was such a relief to learn about ellpha and the fantastic mission driving it. I am inspired by Brigitte and Stéphanie's vision of using AI to address gender inequality and accelerate progress towards a transformed, equal society"
“We have a window of opportunity to get in the driving seat and define AI’s impact on gender equality to before it overtakes us.
Technology is defined by our humanity. Let us make the legacy of AI be equality and a better way of living.”
"Anyone can see that the letters A and I are at the heart of the word ‘Bias’. However, not everyone realises that bias will be at the heart of AI - unless something radical happens. Just as we aim to ensure our children don’t acquire the memes of prejudice, so we must demand that the infant AI doesn’t internalise gender stereotypes as it develops. The ellpha project is as timely as it is important."
"As a maths teacher, I aspire for a day where my female students stop believing that "maths isn't for them" and realise they can do anything and everything they put their mind to. I'm excited about the role ellpha can play in bringing about this change".
"Women are to humankind what AI will be to an advanced humanity: a force of change and a powerful source of progress. ellpha bridges the two by ensuring AI is equally gender-rich."
"I think words matter. I think words shape the world. They can heal us, hurt us, free us and sometimes, kill us. Just like words, AI is shaping the world we live in. It can create freedom, empowerment, equality. Or not. I want to support and stand by the people who want AI to change the world for the better. Ellpha is one of them"
"ellpha has the vital objective of promoting gender equality in this rapidly innovating era. This matters."
“The truth is, I often like women. I like their unconventionality. I like their completeness. I like their anonymity. ”
“To call woman the weaker sex is a libel; it is man's injustice to woman. If by strength is meant brute strength, then, indeed, is woman less brute than man. If by strength is meant moral power, then woman is immeasurably man's superior."
“Look closely at the present you are constructing: it should look like the future you are dreaming.”