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Imagine an AI-powered hiring tool rejecting a candidate because the system failed to account for discrepancies like career gaps for caregiving. Or a medical algorithm misdiagnosing someone because it wasn’t trained on data that included their ethnicity.
These aren’t wild hypotheticals, unfortunately. They’re real examples of what happens when diversity is missing in technology development.
Teams that don’t reflect the world’s diversity design systems that fail to serve everyone. For instance, facial recognition software has higher error rates for women and people of color, showing how even unintentionally biased algorithms can deepen inequality.
These issues also apply to the workforce. They affect innovation and equity across broad swaths of industries. When women and underrepresented groups aren’t involved in technology development, their perspectives and needs are overlooked at work.
A Bold Investment in a Challenging Landscape
Melinda French Gates, through Pivotal Ventures, is taking action on this issue. The organization has pledged $150 million to take on this challenge, with a third earmarked specifically toward AI. The organization wrote in a statement:
AI will continue to have a growing and disproportionate impact on society, and we want to build the pipeline of women leaders shaping AI and ensure companies deploying AI are maximizing its benefits and minimizing its harms. We also see opportunities to leverage AI to remove workplace barriers for women as it is integrated into HR systems and other practices.
The focus on tech as one of three pillars is critical. Currently, women hold only 28% of professional computing and mathematics jobs, and their representation in AI-related fields is even lower.
Organizations like Break Through Tech AI and the Center for Inclusive Computing will benefit from this funding, helping to bridge the gap in representation. For example, Break Through Tech AI works to increase the representation of women by expanding access to AI education and mentorship.
Gates's commitment stands out, especially in this environment. Companies are scaling back on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, citing economic pressures or political pushback. Pivotal Ventures’ investment reminds us that DEI can be more than just a checkbox or PR statement. It’s one of the critical foundations for building better technology and better workplaces.
Related Article: Is DEI Sustainable in the Workplace?
Why Representation in Technology Matters
Technology impacts nearly every industry, from healthcare to education to hiring. While there has been some focus on how technology could help reduce human bias, challenges remain. Without diverse voices shaping its development, these tools risk amplifying biases and missing opportunities for equitable innovation.
Representation in technology and AI teams ensures that algorithms and applications account for a broader range of human experiences. When diverse perspectives are included, these systems are better equipped to address issues like healthcare disparities, education gaps and workforce inequities.
For example, studies have shown that AI tools designed by homogeneous teams are more likely to overlook the needs of marginalized groups, reinforcing systemic inequalities rather than resolving them.
Diversity in AI does more than prevent harm — it also drives innovation. Teams with varied backgrounds are more likely to identify creative solutions, develop inclusive products and expand the potential applications of AI.
In healthcare, for instance, inclusive AI can improve diagnostic tools by considering factors like gender and ethnicity, making treatments more effective for a wider population. In hiring, equitable AI systems can identify and reduce bias in recruitment processes, fostering fairer opportunities for all.
Pivotal Ventures’ funding addresses this head-on. These investments go beyond benefiting underrepresented groups. They ultimately create better tools, technologies and outcomes that benefit us all.
Related Article: Are You Developing Diverse Teams?
Workforce Implications
The commitment from Pivotal Ventures will attempt to reshape workplaces by tackling long-standing barriers beyond technology too.
The funding supports efforts like the Aspen Institute’s workplace innovation council, which explores solutions for flexible work policies and addresses the caregiving penalties that disproportionately impact women. Additionally, Lift Our Voices is using part of this investment to push for the removal of nondisclosure agreements that often silence employees who experience workplace harassment.
These initiatives directly address broader structural issues on the job, so that workplaces evolve into equitable environments where innovation and inclusion thrive. The funding lays the groundwork for a workforce where innovation and inclusion go hand in hand.
Whatever your role is as a work leader in IT or HR, this initiative should also raise a critical question: How can we ensure the future of work benefits everyone? Start by evaluating your own organization. Are diverse voices included in decision-making? Are you fostering an environment where innovation thrives through inclusion?
Also, consider how your policies and practices impact your team. Are you providing pathways for underrepresented groups to succeed? Consider whether your hiring processes are structured to identify and reduce bias.
Look at mentorship and leadership programs within your organization, too. Are they creating opportunities for diverse talent to advance?
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We don’t have to wait for technology providers to catch up. We can take individual action in our own organizations and communities to make a difference.
Related Article: Here's How a Chief Belonging Officer Can Revive DEI Efforts
Let’s Build the Future of Work We Want to See
Representation in technology shapes the systems that, sometimes unknowingly, influence our lives. It sets the stage for a more inclusive future by ensuring that the tools we create work for everyone, not just a select few.
Addressing these gaps is about shaping the future of technology, workplaces and society in ways that benefit everyone. The road ahead requires bold investments, like those from Pivotal Ventures, and collective action from organizations and individuals alike.
Creating a more equitable workforce is a challenge, but it isn’t impossible. You can be part of the change by supporting organizations trying to make a difference, like Break Through Tech AI or Lift Our Voices, or even by challenging outdated norms in your own workplace.
The future of work is being written now. Let’s make sure it reflects the values we all aspire to uphold.
